


Guardian

by Xenobia



Series: The "Alliance" universe [6]
Category: Compilation of Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy VII
Genre: Graphic Sex, Graphic Violence, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Multi, Shounen-ai
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-11-06
Updated: 2012-11-06
Packaged: 2017-11-18 02:50:06
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 22
Words: 133,850
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/556050
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Xenobia/pseuds/Xenobia
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Cloud's devotion to Reno becomes apparent to everyone when tragedy strikes and he must re-evaluate his feelings for the Turk.  Emotions run high and rivals work together for a common cause, discovering that they aren't as far removed from each other as they once thought.  Part of the "Alliance" series.  Takes place after "Party Favors".</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

“Guardian”

Chapter 1

~*******************************************~

* * *

*Disclaimer:  The world that this story is set in and all characters therein belong to Square-Enix.  This fiction piece is strictly a non-profit exercise of creativity and entertainment for people (like me) who can’t get enough of this world and the characters.* 

~***********************************************~

* * *

 

“You might live longer if ya tell me where it is,” Reno said to the cuffed prisoner.  He slapped his EMR in his hand and waited for a response.

 

The man blinked blood out of his eyes and looked up at him with a combination of fear and anger.  “I found it, so it’s mine until someone pays the right price!”

 

Reno put his weapon away and took a drag from his cigarette.  “It’s Rufus Shinra’s, yo,” he corrected, blowing smoke in the victim’s eyes.  “And ya found it in his building.”  Not only had the man found the object in the ruins of the old ShinRa headquarters, but he’d also had the balls to contact Rufus at his current office and demand money for its return.  Holding the President’s property for ransom wasn’t the smartest thing in the world to do.  Rufus might have offered him a reward if he’d just turned it in but the company owner had no tolerance for people that made demands of him.

 

The man squinted and coughed, and Reno grinned at him.  “Am I gonna have to start taking body parts as collateral, until you decide to cooperate with us?  How’d you like having your fingers sawed off with a rusty steak knife, huh?”

 

The victim whimpered and cringed away from the redhead when his sea-green eyes flashed with reckless glee on him.  Reno’s imagination started going to work and he rubbed his chin in thought with a black-gloved hand.  “Hey, I’ve got an idea.  I could grab a spoon and pop one of your eyes out.  That’d probably go faster than one of your fingers and it ain’t cliché.”  He reached out and patted the guy smartly on the cheek.  “What d’ya say?  We can start with the eye and next time, I’ll take an ear.  Maybe when the boss has enough of your body parts he’ll just call it even, yo.” 

 

Reno took another drag and leaned in closer to the prisoner.  “’Course, we’ll have to leave your tongue, just in case you change your mind about telling me where it is.”  The guy was a drug addict, he could tell.  He could smell the sharp, chemical stench in his sweat and Reno had seen the tract marks in his arms when he’d cuffed him.  He knew from experience that substance abusers were harder to break than sober people.  Deciding he needed to give the man a little more incentive, Reno grabbed the captive by the back of his hair to hold his head still and he stubbed his cigarette out on his cheek.

 

The man struggled and shouted raggedly with pain, but the Turk’s grip was too strong for him to break and Reno ground the burning cherry into the targeted flesh without pity or remorse.  When the cigarette was out, he backhanded the captive and sat back expectantly. 

 

“Yo, I’ve got other things to do today, man,” Reno said conversationally while his victim cursed and wept.  “You don’t want me to lose patience with ya, trust me.  The boss ain’t like his old man was and trying to extort money from him was a really stupid idea.”

 

The junkie decided that whatever money he could have gotten out of the item wasn’t worth the maiming he’d probably receive if he didn’t give it up.  “Under my mattress, in the bedroom,” he rasped.  “You’ll find it there…just leave me alone!”

 

Reno smirked and flipped his long, crimson ponytail back over his shoulder.  “Knew I could reason with ya.  Don’t go anywhere, yo.  I’ll be right back.”  He patted the captive smartly on his wounded cheek, making him wince.  The Turk rose from his squatted position and brushed his clothes off before leaving the guy on the dingy living room floor and searching for the bedroom.  He found it after checking a couple of doors in the hall and he went to the bed and lifted the dusty mattress.  The scum hadn’t lied—the object was nestled safely underneath.  He took it and put it safely in a deep inner pocket of his blazer before heading back into the living room.

 

Reno had underestimated his target’s desperation and cunning, however.  The first thing he noticed was that the man wasn’t cowering where he left him and as he began to draw his EMR and search for him, he was struck from behind by two bound fists.  The Turk staggered and tried to recover but his opponent’s arms hooked around his neck and the cold metal of the cuffs that Reno had restrained him with were pressing hard against the redhead’s windpipe.

 

Reno’s training kicked in without him even having to think about it.  He slammed his head back and hit the guy in the nose hard enough to make it break with a sickening crunch, then he slipped out of his stunned grasp and rolled away from him.  He reached for his gun while the other man struggled to his feet.

 

The thief wasn’t willing to give up—probably because he was still under the influence of whatever narcotics he was taking.  He lunged at Reno and shouted: “Go to hell!”

 

“You first,” Reno said with a sharp smile.  The silencer muffled the shot and a neat hole appeared in the thief’s forehead.  His body stumbled to the floor and twitched for a few minutes while Reno watched.  When it stilled, the Turk shook his head and shrugged.  “That’s what ya get, druggy.”  He replaced the firearm in its concealed holster and left the house. 

 

When he stepped outside, his gaze went to the ruins of the old upper plate of Midgar, visible in the skyline from Edge.  Memories of old times made him nostalgic and he stood there for a little while and recalled what Midgar looked like when it was the most thriving metropolis on Gaia.  After paying his silent respects to the city he’d grown up in, Reno walked to his rented car and got in.  He took his cellphone out and dialed a number before starting up the engine. 

 

“Hey partner.  Yeah, I got it.  I’m not gonna call the boss yet ‘cause I wanna get it cleaned up for him first.  He’ll be real happy to get this back, man.  Yeah?  All right, I’m up for it.  Nah, I understand.  Drink some juice and have some soup or something, will ya?  No problem, baby.  Catch ya later.”

 

Reno hung up with Rude and replaced his phone as he cranked the engine and started off to drive to the helipad where his chopper waited for him.  The bald man had a wicked case of the flu and he’d asked Reno if he could take over the assignment he was supposed to do today.  Ordinarily Reno got annoyed when someone put extra work on his plate but he and his partner switched vacation days and solo jobs all the time.  Since he was still fired up from the encounter he’d just had, Reno wasn’t ready to kick back just yet anyhow.

 

~*******************************~

* * *

 

“I got it, boss.”  Reno closed the door to Rufus’s office behind him and produced the pearl-handled, long-barreled revolver he’d retrieved from the extortionist’s house in Edge.  Rufus got out of his office chair and approached, eyeing the weapon with a hint of sentimental pleasure.  Reno handed it to him with a grin.

 

Rufus examined the weapon and traced the engraved lettering of his family name that was etched into the barrel.  “Well, at least he took good care of it,” the President murmured.  The weapon had been handed down to him from his grandfather, who had been nothing like his father and though his memories of the man were few, they were good ones. 

 

“Actually, I stopped off and had it cleaned for ya,” Reno said with a shrug.  “I wanted you to get it back the way it was when you lost it, yo.”

 

Rufus’s gray eyes met his and he smiled subtly.  “Quite considerate of you, Fox.  I appreciate it.”  He flipped open the bullet chamber and inspected it for a moment before shutting it again.  He walked to his desk and placed the gun on top of it.  “I trust our greedy friend received a lesson well-learned?”

 

Reno snorted and crossed his arms over his chest.  “In spades, Sir.  He’s feeding the roaches in his house by now.”

 

Rufus raised his eyebrows, but he smiled.  “Oh?  I would have settled for a bit of maiming, but I’m not unhappy with that outcome.”

 

“The stupid bastard tried to strangle me,” Reno informed with a casual shrug.  “He was a waste of air anyhow, yo.”

 

Rufus turned back around to face him again.  “Excellent job, Reno.” 

 

He approached and smoothed the redhead’s blazer with his hands, then let his fingers glide over the pale, smooth skin of his throat and jaw.  He leaned in and kissed his subordinate’s tempting lips, allowing himself a bit of indulgence.  Reno’s response was enthusiastic as always and Rufus considered canceling the board meeting he was supposed to attend in twenty minutes.  He unbuttoned his Fox’s shirt the rest of the way and explored the lean muscles of his chest and stomach for a bit, until he was hard and aching between his legs.  He finally pulled away with reluctance, smirking at the disappointed look in the Turk’s eyes and heavy rhythm of his breathing.

 

“Regrettably, I’m on a rather tight schedule this afternoon and I don’t have time to play,” Rufus murmured.  “Have you been in contact with Rude today?  Tseng hasn’t been able to reach him since this morning and he has an assignment.  I’m somewhat concerned that he isn’t in top form to complete it.”

 

“He’s not,” Reno confirmed, “So I’m gonna do it in his place, yo.  Do you have a copy of the orders?”

 

Rufus nodded and walked back to his desk to find the documents outlining the mission orders.  When he located the correct papers, he handed them over to his subordinate and scanned Reno’s bared chest and stomach leisurely while the redhead looked over them.

 

“Mount Nibel, huh?” Reno said as he read through the job description.  “Hmm, this is kinda gross.”  The assignment was to collect a flesh sample from one of the specimens still in stasis in the old reactor.  Reno knew better than to ask why the company wanted samples, but he failed to hide his grimace.  It was largely because of ShinRa’s experimentations that the world was in such a bad state and he’d thought Rufus had sworn away that sort of thing.

 

The President noticed the brief expression of wariness on Reno’s face and he wasn’t surprised.  “You can relax, Reno.  The purpose in collecting the sample isn’t to create more monsters—quite the opposite.  The WRO is working on methods to reverse mutations caused by Mako eruptions and the science team agrees that the best way to do that is to study cells that have been drenched in Mako.  The goal is to find a way to put the Mako corruption in remission.”

 

Reno lowered the papers and looked at his boss with faint relief.  He flushed, embarrassed that he’d thought even for a moment that Rufus was interested in following his old man’s footsteps.  He wasn’t a big environmental activist or anything but he liked the world he lived in and he didn’t want to see it get any worse when it was just starting to get better again.

 

“So why ain’t the WRO sending their own people to do this?” Reno asked.  Technically he wasn’t supposed to question the mission.  Turks just did as they were directed, with or without explicit details.  He was taking a gamble but since Rufus had been amicable enough to volunteer further information already, he didn’t see the harm.

 

“Because we don’t want to see the mistakes of the past repeated,” Rufus explained.  “Reeve has hand-picked a small team that he believes he can trust to conduct this research.  As such, the collection of the sample has to be done in a way that won’t draw attention.  If people see a solitary Turk heading for the reactor, they’ll assume it’s simply a standard security inspection.  The objective is to deliver a small sample for research first and if it can be confirmed that the team can make use of it for the purpose of the project, we’ll move on from there.”

 

“Makes sense,” Reno admitted, relaxing. 

 

Rufus sensed his relief and he wasn’t offended.  After all, the company had a history of creating monsters and super-soldiers and generally endangering the entire damned planet.  It was going to take time for people to see ShinRa in a new light…even the most loyal employees. 

 

“Contact me when you’ve completed the assignment, Reno.”  The blond reached out and patted his subordinate on the arm.  “I expect you’ll do as good a job as you did in the retrieval of my heirloom.”

 

Reno grinned at the praise and buttoned his shirt back up.  “You know it, boss.  Don’t let the suits bore you too much while I’m gone, yo.”

 

~**********************************~

* * *

 

Reno touched down outside of Nibelheim and cut the engine.  He lit a clove as he exited the craft and he took a moment to look at the town and the sharp, twisted peaks of the mountains surrounding it.  This was the town that Cloud Strife grew up in.  It was also the same town that Sephiroth destroyed, the same town that ShinRa rebuilt to cover up the disaster and the same town that housed Hojo’s secret experiments.  He waited until he’d smoked the whole cigarette before putting it out and walking into the village.

 

Most of the ShinRa residents of Nibelheim had cleared out.  The village was over fifty percent civilian now and the old mansion that still stood at the back of the village was boarded up tightly again.  Reno couldn’t suppress a shiver as he passed the mansion as he walked through town to the path leading to the mountains.  He remembered the day he’d snuck in there to do some personal investigating and found Vincent Valentine in a coffin in the basement.  Seeing what he thought was a corpse come to life and look at him had been disturbing enough, but the attack by the two-headed creature that snuck up on him was what still occasionally made him wake up in a cold sweat sometimes. 

 

He deliberately kept his eyes off of the mansion as he walked the trail winding out of town and into the mountain, where the old reactor still stood.  A few curious townsfolk gave him looks, but when they recognized the Turk uniform they quickly busied themselves elsewhere.  Reno smirked a little.  The first time he’d donned the traditional Turk garb, he’d been amazed by the respect people showed him.  It was kind of funny to him that with everything that had happened, his organization still commanded respect and fear…even after ShinRa went almost completely bottom-up. 

His climb to the reactor wasn’t too terribly eventful.  The winding trail carved into the mountain got fairly steep at one point and Reno’s shoes lost traction for a moment, nearly making him lose his footing and fall on his face.  As he drew close to the rebuilt bridge spanning the chasm, he had to fight off some sort of creature that looked like a giant, mutated mantis.  After that he didn’t run into any more trouble…until he reached the reactor.

 

~*********************************~

* * *

 

Reno found the pod chamber inside of the reactor and he approached one of the ones on the first row and grabbed hold of the edge of the porthole, hopping up to peer inside.  He almost let go when he saw the creature floating within the confines of the container.  It looked as though it might have once been human but now its flesh was hard and black, and its head was covered in horny growths rather than hair. 

 

_~Shit, is this what happens when someone’s pickled in Mako?  How long do they have to be exposed to start looking like that, yo?~_

He dropped back down and shivered.  He was starting to get why Sephiroth went mental, years ago when he came here.  Members of SOLDIER were infused with Mako and Sephiroth had been subjected to the highest doses imaginable.  Reno could imagine him beginning to come apart when he saw one of these specimens, probably wondering if he’d end up like them.

 

Reno searched for the release mechanism that would allow him to open the pod and after a moment, he found it and turned it with effort.  When it finally gave, the pod burst open and Reno hastily dove aside as the front of it fell open and the creature flopped out, along with the mystery fluid that it had been floating in.  The smell of chemicals and raw Mako nearly made him gag and he covered his mouth and nose with his sleeve and readied his EMR just in case. 

 

Cautiously, the redhead walked over the wet floor and peered down at the creature.  He’d brought a very sharp scalpel with him for the task, as well as a compact, reinforced container to put the sample in.  The problem was he didn’t really want to get close enough to the beast to cut a piece of its flesh off.  He cautiously leaned down and poked at the creature gingerly with his EMR.  When it didn’t move, he figured it was safe enough to continue.

 

_~Cripes, this thing stinks!  I’ve gotta hurry this up and get out of here before the fumes make me black out.~_

Reno fought the urge to gag as he squatted down beside the mutated beast.  He searched his inner pockets for the sample container and the scalpel and braced himself for the unpleasant task he needed to do.  Just as he began to extend the blade on the retractable scalpel, the creature burst into motion and grabbed for him. 

 

Reno cursed and jumped up, dropping the container and scalpel to the floor and drawing his weapon.  He clicked it on as the creature lunged for him and he hit the being upside the head.  The electric discharge should have stunned it, but it only stumbled for a moment and glared at him with pitch-black eyes.

 

“Fucking typical,” Reno groaned.  The monster struck out at him with frightening speed and he barely dodged aside to avoid its tearing claws.  “Oh, this is gonna be fun,” the Turk gasped as the creature stalked him.  He clicked his EMR again to recharge it and he kept his distance, circling as the monster circled him to keep it from getting behind his back. 

 

“Yaaaah!” Reno shouted abruptly, leaping into the air and swinging his weapon.  The monster reached out at the same time and caught hold of his ankle, but he got another swing at it before he fell to the floor.  This time the charge did a bit more good, but Reno was also stunned as his breath was knocked out of him from the impact.  Gasping, he tried to crawl to his feet but the weight of the creature was suddenly upon him and he rolled onto his back and grappled with it.  He couldn’t spare the time to grip the EMR dangling from his wrist because he had to concentrate on keeping his attacker’s fangs from tearing out his throat.

 

~********************************~

* * *

 

Cloud hated visiting Nibelheim but he still did it once per year, to pay silent respects to his mother, Tifa’s father and the rest of the townsfolk who died when Sephiroth went on his rampage.  As soon as he’d heard the whispers that a Turk with fiery-red hair had come into town and headed up the mountain path, he armed himself and headed straight for the Mako reactor.  The only reason he could think of for ShinRa to send Reno there was to activate the reactor or else get something out of it for more power grabs or experimentation.

 

Cloud Strife had seen enough of ShinRa’s ambitions.  Though his feelings toward Reno now ranged between ambiguity and affection, he knew that the redhead’s first loyalty was to the company and in his experience, the company’s first loyalty was to power and control.  Reeve had hinted that Rufus wasn’t exactly what Cloud thought he was but the blonde had seen nothing solid to prove that.

 

_~I may have to fight Reno.  I’m not thrilled with that possibility but if I have to do it to stop ShinRa from causing more trouble for the world, I will.~_

It was ironic and rather cruel that the fates kept throwing he and Reno together like this.  Just once, Cloud would have liked to have an encounter with the redhead that didn’t involve kidnapping, drugging, fighting or deceit.  After the incident in the hotel suite he’d come close to calling the redhead half a dozen times to arrange a more pleasant and open visit, but he chickened out.

 

“Dammit, Reno,” Cloud panted as he charged up the winding paths.  “I don’t want to fight you!”

 

Unlike average men, Cloud didn’t have to stop to catch his breath until he made it all the way to the base of the reactor.  He took a moment to rest and gather his strength before going in. 

 

Cloud entered the reactor fully prepared to stop Reno from doing whatever he was doing, but when he followed the sounds of the struggle and arrived in the pod chamber, his focus changed immediately from stopping Reno to defending him.  The redhead was on his back and grappling with one of the Mako-altered creatures Hojo had been storing in the chamber.  The creature’s snarling, fanged mouth was getting closer and closer to the Turk’s exposed throat.

 

~**********************************~

* * *

 

_~Shit, this thing is too strong for me to wrestle with! I’ve gotta find a way to get one of my weapons without it tearing my throat out.~_

Reno’s arms were losing their strength and he started thinking he was going to die there.  From the corner of his eye, he caught sight of a figure silhouetted in the doorway and at first he thought it was his imagination.  Then he heard a familiar male voice shout a challenge and both he and the creature on top of him looked up at the figure.

 

“What the fuck are YOU doing here?” Reno yelled.  He’d always figured that the Mt. Nibel reactor was one of the last places on Gaia Cloud Strife would electively go, unless it was an emergency.  Hell, he knew the guy didn’t even like to visit Nibelheim.  What kind of cosmic joker decided to plop Strife here right while Reno was on an assignment?

 

Cloud’s response was dripping with sarcasm as the creature rounded on him and decided he looked tastier than Reno.  “I’m saving your ass, that’s what!” 

 

The blonde charged in with his thick sword raised for the attack, while the creature pinning Reno to the floor lurched off of him and pounced at Cloud.  The redhead rolled onto his stomach and got to his feet, drawing his gun with his left hand and gripping his EMR with his right.  Cloud and the monster collided with each other and there was a howl as the blonde fighter struck the mutant with his weapon. 

 

“Tough skin,” Cloud grunted as he rolled away from the monster. 

 

Reno fired a shot at the thing and the bullet penetrated enough to draw its attention back to him.  “Aw, shit,” the Turk exclaimed when the creature hurled itself through the air at him.  He wasn’t quite fast enough to avoid it and he was knocked onto his back again. 

 

Cloud’s sneakers squeaked as he raced across the floor and grabbed the monster’s ankles to drag it off of Reno.  It slashed at him with its claws and Cloud blocked with his weapon.  The blonde’s muscles bunched and he shoved the creature away from him and twirled his sword over his head.  It crouched and started to lunge at him, but then there was the muffled sound of gunfire and several bullet holes peppered its head and torso.  The creature roared and staggered, giving Cloud the opening he needed to finish it off.  He closed the distance and slashed in an X pattern, splitting the monster’s flesh open.  Neon, Mako-tainted blood flowed from the wound and the creature shuddered for a moment before lying still.

 

Cloud turned to away from the beast to find Reno still on his back in a half-sitting position, with his gun trained on the monster.  The Turk slowly lowered the weapon when the creature stopped moving. Cloud replaced his sword in its scabbard across his back and walked over to Reno.  He offered the other man his hand and Reno put his gun away and took it, allowing the swordsman to help him to his feet.  They stared at each other for a moment, equally puzzled at the coincidence of them both arriving in Nibelheim within the same hour.

 

“Nice work, yo,” Reno finally said, his mouth curving into a slight smile.

 

“Same to you,” complimented the blonde. 

 

They fell silent again and their eyes remained on each other, neither of them able to completely disguise the restrained pleasure of seeing one another again.  Reno snapped out of the spell first and he walked a couple of feet to retrieve a compact black container and a retractable scalpel from the floor of the chamber. 

 

“Want to tell me what you’re doing?” Cloud asked as the Turk approached the fallen creature and squatted beside the carcass.  The redhead slipped on a pair of latex gloves next and Cloud grimaced as Reno cut a small chunk of flesh out of the monster’s torso and deposited it in the slim container. 

 

“Getting a souvenir, yo.”  Reno sealed the container and slipped it into his blazer.  He looked at the scalpel in disgust and tossed it to the floor, then tugged the protective gloves off and dropped them on top of the dead monster.  The fumes had cleared but the smell still made him want to vomit and he swallowed to control his nausea as he stood up and moved away from the creature.

 

Cloud’s eyes hardened.  “I can’t let you leave with that, Reno.”

 

The Turk stopped and sighed in annoyance.  “Why the hell not?”

 

“Because I know ShinRa’s history with experimental specimens,” Cloud answered in an abrupt tone, “You know I can’t let it start all over again.”

 

Reno shook his head.  “You don’t know what’s going on, man.”

 

“Then suppose you tell me?” Cloud suggested as he reached for the hilt of his sword.

 

Reno likewise gripped his EMR, but his blue-green eyes were calm.  “It’s classified, man.  I can’t tell you and to be honest, I’ve already crossed the line for you too many times, baby.  Just trust me, it ain’t what you’re thinking.”

 

“I can’t trust you,” Cloud replied softly.

 

Reno’s annoyance flared and his eyes flashed.  “Then I guess we’ve got a real problem, Blondie.”

 

Cloud nodded, his jaw tense.  “I guess you’re right.”

 

Reno’s expression softened into one of faint dismay.  “Shit…we’re gonna have to fight, aren’t we?”

 

The blonde fighter heaved a heavy sigh.  “Looks like we are.”  He seemed just as reluctant as Reno, but like the Turk, he obviously felt that he couldn’t afford to back down.  He drew his sword and stared into Reno’s eyes.

 

“Think we should do it in here, man?” Reno asked with a glance around him.  “We might not wanna risk breaking any of these other pods and ending up with more of those ugly fuckers trying to gnaw on us, yo.”

 

Cloud relaxed his stance and flicked his sapphire eyes briefly over the pods.  “That’s a pretty good point, actually.  Want to take it outside?”

 

Reno nodded.  “Yeah…in fact, let’s take it outside this damned reactor altogether, yo.  There’s too many pipes and wires in here and I don’t know what the hell most of ‘em do.  I’m not thrilled at the thought of both of us getting blown to pieces.”

 

“Me either,” Cloud agreed.

 

They stared silently at each other.

 

“After you,” Reno said with a gesture toward the door.

 

“I’m not turning my back on you,” Cloud stated with narrowed eyes.

 

Reno sighed and rolled his eyes up at the ceiling.  “Cripes!  Okay, how about this then:  You just back out and I’ll follow ya.  That way we can keep an eye on each other, yo.”

 

Cloud considered the plan and nodded.  “Sounds fair.”

 

The two of them started to walk—Cloud stepping backwards and Reno slowly following.  The Turk half-expected his rival to trip and fall at some point but Cloud seemed to know the interior of the reactor like the back of his hand.  That came as no surprise to Reno, actually.  The redhead couldn’t contain the amused grin that steadily curved his lips as they moved toward the front exit and Cloud noticed it.

 

“This isn’t funny, Reno,” the blonde said.

 

“Oh yeah?” answered the Turk.  “I think it’s a fucking knee-slapper, myself.  I mean, look at what we’re doing.”

 

“It’s your own fault I can’t trust you,” Cloud reminded him with narrowed eyes.

 

The redhead winced a little.  “I probably wouldn’t trust me either, yo.  Maybe one day I can find a way to earn that from you, though.”  A flash of regret and apology showed in his tourmaline eyes for a brief moment and Cloud’s expression softened.

 

“That’s up to you,” the blonde murmured.

 

They made it outside and down the stairs.  When they reached the bottom, Reno lifted his EMR and said: “Okay, we’re outside.  Let’s do it, Blondie.”

 

Cloud nodded once and shifted his feet, raising his formidable sword.  They stared at each other across the short distance and the wind stirred their hair.  Neither of them spoke or moved.

 

“What are you waiting for?” Cloud finally asked in exasperation. 

 

“I’m waiting on you, Strife!”  Reno was just as frustrated. 

 

Again, they stood motionless.  Finally, they both decided to make their moves.  They charged at one another across the rocky ground, their weapons ready and their eyes locked.  At the last minute, Cloud’s resolve failed him and he lowered his weapon and chose to strike out with his fist instead.  Ironically, Reno did the exact same thing. 

 

Both men grunted with surprised pain as Reno’s fist struck Cloud in the nose and Cloud’s fist connected with Reno’s jaw.  They backed away from each other and rubbed their smarting spots. 

 

“How’s your nose?” Reno asked.

 

“Fine, it just hurts a little,” answered the blonde fighter.  “What about your jaw?”

 

Reno frowned severely.  His jaw hardly hurt at all.  He even doubted it would leave a bruise.  He looked at Cloud with a combination of confusion and alarm.  “My jaw feels fine.  Yo, what the hell’s the matter with you, Strife?  You could have smashed my face in if you wanted, but I’ve been hit harder by a kid!”

 

“Me?” Cloud scoffed, “What about you?  You didn’t even bloody my damned nose!”

 

They studied one another in amazed stupefaction, each of them alarmed by their apparent inability to willingly harm the other. 

 

“Yo, this is fucked up,” Reno stated flatly.  He clenched his jaw and charged his weapon again, determined to prove to himself that Strife had no power over him.  “We’re getting it on, Blondie…and that’s all there is to it!”  He yelled and leaped at the fighter, swinging the weapon with anger.  His coordination was sloppy though.  It was as if his body refused to allow him full, deadly use of it.

 

Cloud dodged aside and swung instinctively with his sword.  Reno parried it with his EMR and the discharge of electricity danced along the blade of the other man’s weapon.  Cloud gritted his teeth against the stunning shock that went up his arm and he managed to hang onto his sword.

 

“You’re paying for that,” the blonde growled when they faced off again and Reno set another charge on his weapon.

 

“That’s more like it, yo,” the redhead announced with a feral smile. 

 

They attacked one another again, each trying to put the other on defensive.  Cloud leaped away from Reno’s rounding kick and the redhead rolled aside as he retaliated with an overhead swing of his sword.  They came together, their weapons crossing and throwing sparks.  Reno grunted with exertion as Cloud’s vivid eyes stared to his and the blonde shoved.  His shoes skidded on the rocky ground as he was pushed backwards. 

 

The Turk made a quick decision and he jumped to the left, leaving his opponent temporarily overbalanced.  When Cloud staggered, Reno took the opportunity to hit him in the back of the shoulders with his EMR.  He winced involuntarily at the groan of pain he heard from Cloud and he backed up defensively as the fighter whirled and leapt at him.

 

It was Reno’s turn to make an exclamation of pain as the blunt side of Cloud’s sword struck him in a backwards swing and knocked him off his feet.  The Turk deftly reached for his gun as he landed on his back and before Cloud could advance, he fired a couple of shots at him.  There was a flash of metal as the swordsman skillfully blocked the bullets with his blade—just as Reno knew he would.  With a little grin, the Turk put the gun away and he rolled to his feet again and took a running leap at his opponent.  Cloud grabbed his right wrist at the last moment and deflected the blow he’d been aiming at him.  Reno twisted in his grasp and ended up with his back pressed up against the blonde’s front.  He turned his head and looked into Cloud’s eyes, mere inches away from his. 

 

Both men were breathing heavily and it wasn’t from exertion.  The blonde’s fair features had a light, telling flush to them and Reno’s pale skin was beaded with perspiration.  For a moment they stayed locked in that position but the sly redhead remembered why they were like that and his lithe muscles tensed without any warning.

 

 _~Shit,~_ Cloud thought as Reno bent forward and used leverage to flip him to the ground, _~I’ve got to remember not to hesitate when it comes to him.  Fighting is like foreplay to this guy and he’ll use every advantage he can get.~_   Reno couldn’t match Cloud in physical strength but he was crafty, unpredictable and agile—a dangerous combination that made him a more worthy opponent than some big brute.

 

Cloud got to his feet and gave Reno a taste of his own medicine as the redhead tried to score a hit while he recovered.  The blond tackled the charging Turk like a sports pro and sent him flying backwards, toward the entrance of one of the mountain caves.  Reno swore breathlessly and staggered to his feet, holding his side and panting.

 

Cloud knew that he couldn’t afford to be a good sport and allow Reno to recover his wind.  He had a feeling the redhead was faking at least a little and his suspicion was confirmed as he rushed to close the distance between them and hacked at him with his sword.  Reno dodged and countered with limber speed, scoring a glancing blow in Cloud’s shoulder with a well-aimed kick the blonde couldn’t quite avoid.  Still, Cloud had him on the defensive and he slowly backed him into the cave.  The interior walls of the cave were riddled with slivers of raw materia and the multi-colored glow was reflected in the two men’s eyes and Cloud’s sword.

 

They fell into an easy dance after a few moments, their fight becoming more like a sparring match.  Cloud was aware of what was happening and he knew he couldn’t defeat Reno if he kept playing with him, so he practiced a little bad sportsmanship himself and slammed into the Turk as soon as he had an opening, pinning him against the cavern wall with the flat of his sword.

 

Reno grunted in surprise and his eyes shifted down to the sharp edge of the blade, which was pointing upward and lying diagonally across his chest.  If Cloud wanted to, he could slit his throat.  He looked into the blonde’s eyes as Strife’s body pressed flush against his, one of the blonde’s powerful thighs pushing between Reno’s. 

 

Cloud’s body heated up when he felt the evidence that he wasn’t the only one getting inappropriately aroused by this fight.  Reno’s groin was stiff against his thigh and the redhead’s parted lips were gasping in a way that Cloud knew wasn’t attributed only to exertion.  _~This guy’s starting to rub off on me or something.  Fighting was never sexy to me before now.  I’m getting just as twisted as he is!~_

 

“I’m so fucking turned on right now,” Reno said with breathless candor.

 

That did it for Cloud.  He dropped his weapon, caught the Turk’s wrists and shoved them up over his head to hold them against the cavern wall.  His heart pounded fiercely as he crushed his mouth against his captive’s and Reno’s needy moan of lust prompted Cloud to grind his pelvis against his.  Reno rubbed back and bit the blonde’s lip lightly, tugging on it before swiping his tongue over it and parting his mouth.  He welcomed the intrusion of Strife’s tongue and he didn’t fight it when the blonde crossed his wrists over his head and held them there with one hand.  His deactivated EMR dangled from his right wrist and bumped against his shoulder, but he hardly noticed as Cloud’s free hand started fumbling with his pants. 

 

The blonde’s mouth left his and began to suck and nip at his jaw and neck.  Reno turned his head to the side to give him better access to his throat and he groaned as his pants were opened and Cloud’s hand reached in to fondle his erection. 

 

“Fuck me, Blondie,” the Turk panted eagerly, bucking into the touch.

 

“Reno,” Cloud groaned against the soft skin of the other man’s throat.  His need was raw and wild and he knew he was going to end up hurting the redhead if he didn’t calm down.  Funnily enough, Cloud had begun to carry his own protection and lube with him after the last encounter with the wild redhead and the Turks.  He reasoned that he might as well get into the habit since he never knew when or where he might run into Reno again.  He was exceedingly glad for that now as he tugged the redhead’s pants down over his hips to expose him. 

 

“You know where the stuff is, yo,” Reno gasped against Cloud’s lips as the blonde kissed him and stroked his cock again. 

 

The blonde grinned wolfishly against his mouth and muttered, “I’ve got it, this time.”

 

“Trained you good, didn’t I?” Reno smirked.

 

Cloud didn’t answer.  Instead, he released the redhead’s stiffened prick and unzipped one of the pockets in his cargo pants to get out the protection he’d started keeping there.  Reno whined with restless need and Cloud released his wrists and handed the condom package to him. 

 

“Put it on me,” the blonde demanded huskily.  He squeezed Reno’s cock again and resumed stroking it while the Turk eagerly undid his cargo pants with deft hands.  Cloud groaned as his pants were pulled down and his erection sprang free.  He pushed into Reno’s gripping hand as the redhead gave it a couple of pulls, his breath catching with pleasure.  The Turk liberated the rubber from the package and quickly set to work. 

 

After Reno finished putting the condom on him, Cloud did something that took him by surprise.  The Turk blurted a startled curse as his companion crouched at his feet, yanked his tailored pants down to his ankles and shoved his knees akimbo. 

 

“What the hell are you—” Reno began to ask.  His question was cut off in a holler of alarm as Cloud grabbed his ankles and pulled them away from the cavern wall, making the redhead struggle for balance.  Cloud maneuvered himself underneath the Turk’s bowed legs and he pushed his head and shoulders up and between them.  He stood up again, catching the redhead before he could fall.  Reno ended up pressed up against the wall with his legs around the blonde’s waist and his ankles held in place at the small of Cloud’s back by his tangled pants. 

 

“Inventive,” complimented the Turk with a husky laugh of approval.  The spontaneous maneuver left him in a restrained, vulnerable position and Reno appreciated the kink of it.

 

“Put your arms around my neck,” Cloud ordered in a voice ragged with lust.

 

Reno grinned and did as he was told, holding tight to the blonde as Cloud supported his bare ass with one hand and reached into one of his cargo pockets with the other.  The blonde fighter located the little packet of lube in there and he released Reno’s bottom so that he could break open the lube.  The lithe redhead clung to him, purring invitingly into his ear as Cloud slicked the lubricant over his puckered hole and pushed a finger inside.  Cloud’s palm rubbed against the Turk’s balls enticingly and his other hand cupped Reno’s bottom again to support him.  The fighter’s penetrating finger slid against his gland as it pushed in and Reno jerked and bit his lip on a moan. 

 

“Damn, I need this,” Reno growled as Cloud began to pump his finger in and out of his body.  It had been over three weeks since he’d had the blonde and Reno was very greedy about getting some action from his sexual partners.  Each of them had their own unique style and techniques and Reno couldn’t go for very long without an encounter with any of them before getting restless.  Cloud was no exception to that and since he wasn’t as accessible as Rufus, Tseng and Rude, the redhead couldn’t get his itch for him scratched as often.

 

Cloud added another finger and thrust vigorously, his mouth seeking out Reno’s again to ravish it in another searing kiss.  He pressed the Turk harder against the wall and spread his fingers inside of him, coaxing the muscles to relax for him as quickly as he dared.  Reno’s whimper of pleasure made his head reel and Cloud made a guttural sound of hunger in his throat.  The redhead was trying to move against him but the position didn’t allow him much hip movement.  Cloud’s lips pulled back on a smile when the other man whined in frustration at his lack of control over the situation.

 

“Easy,” Cloud murmured huskily against Reno’s panting lips.  “I’m about to give you what you want.”

 

 Reno chewed his bottom lip and whimpered incoherently, his brow furrowed and an expression of aching need on his pale, angular features.  Cloud pulled back to stare at that face as he finger-fucked the Turk and his readied cock throbbed with carnal greed.  “No witty comments?” he mused breathlessly, “That’s a first.”

 

“Want you,” Reno panted.  He was so hot and desperate that he didn’t think he could say anything else coherently. 

 

Cloud thought he’d held off long enough.  He was just as desperate as Reno for this, though he was controlling himself a bit better than his companion.  He withdrew his fingers from the tight heat and positioned himself, rubbing the latex-covered tip of his cock against the prepared ring of muscle for a moment.  When Reno moaned a desperate plea, Cloud claimed his lips again and drove his rigid flesh in.  He supported the Turk’s ass with both hands and plunged his tongue into his mouth, savoring the grateful, lusty sounds that Reno made.

 

Reno clutched desperately at Cloud’s sleeveless sweater, grabbing fistfuls of it in his hands as the blonde’s hard length eased into him.  The rough, uneven cavern wall that he was pressed up against dug into his back, but he hardly cared.  Cloud pulled out to the tip and thrust again with more force, driving in deep.  Reno’s cock bucked against the fighter’s stomach as the motions caused the material of his sweater to rub against the organ and he released the blonde’s sweater with one hand to tangle his fingers into his soft, spiked hair.  He sucked hard on Cloud’s tongue and moaned as the other man began to pump his hips slowly and firmly.

 

Cloud closed his eyes and broke the kiss to sigh Reno’s name.  He took it as slow as he could in the beginning because he hadn’t taken a lot of time to prepare him.  When he felt the tightness ease enough, he adjusted his hold on the Turk and thrust harder.  Reno embraced him desperately and pressed his sweating forehead against his. 

 

“Cloud….Cloud,” the Turk moaned in that husky, sweet way that was unique to him.

 

“Oh god,” Cloud moaned with a shudder.  His hands squeezed the smooth, firm ass they were supporting and the carnal heat that he’d been holding back exploded.  Hearing his name on Reno’s lips always did funny things to him, but when the Turk moaned it like that it invoked a possessive urges in Cloud that made him want to lay claim to him. 

 

Reno cried out as the blonde began to fuck him vigorously.  His face flushed with passion and a thrill tightened his stomach.  His erection dribbled copious amounts of precum and it made a damp spot on Cloud’s sweater as the blonde’s body rutted against his.  Shivering whimpers and sharp gasps steadily burst from Reno’s lips and he turned his head to the side and tilted it as Cloud’s lips began to suck on his neck.  He uttered a delighted curse as the blonde’s teeth closed over the tender skin of his neck and bit hard enough to leave a mark.  The warm tongue licked the spot soothingly a moment later, providing an interesting contrast of sensation.

 

Reno clenched his teeth and hissed as pain mixed with pleasure.  “Yeah baby,” he growled, pulling Cloud’s hair roughly.  “Fuck me hard…just like that…oh…ah…shit…SHIT!”

 

Reno’s scream of release echoed through the cave system and he made a shocking mess all over both his and Cloud’s shirts when he blew his load.  Cloud moaned his name in a tight, trembling cry as his ass muscles quivered and clenched spasmodically around his dick.  With a last groan of pleasure, the blonde came.  He buried his face against Reno’s shoulder and his chest heaved with his gasps. 

 

Reno let go of Cloud’s hair and rested his cheek on the top of his head, nuzzling the downy mass as he caught his breath.  He felt Cloud’s body trembling and he smirked with the knowledge that the fighter had worn himself out on him. 

 

He could use that to his advantage and complete his mission. 

 

~********************************~

* * *

 

-To be continued 

 

 


	2. Chapter 2

“Guardian”

Chapter 2

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* * *

*Disclaimer:  The world that this story is set in and all characters therein belong to Square-Enix.  This fiction piece is strictly a non-profit exercise of creativity and entertainment for people (like me) who can’t get enough of this world and the characters.* 

~***********************************************~

* * *

 

After recovering from their encounter, the two men disentangled themselves from one another and cleaned up as best as they could.  Cloud wiped at the drying evidence on his shirt and glanced at Reno with an amazed expression. 

 

“How can you hold that much?” the blonde asked when he saw that Reno also had an impressive stain on his shirt. 

 

The Turk zipped up his fly and chuckled, meeting Cloud’s eyes and winking at him.  “That’s what happens when I’m deprived, yo.”

 

“Like I’m going to believe you’re not getting enough sex,” scoffed the fighter.  He tugged his cargo pants back up and fastened them.

 

“Not enough from you, baby.”  Reno wiped off his shirt as well, thankful that the garment was white and thus wouldn’t show the stain that badly.  He could always cover it up with his blazer if he had to.  Cloud, on the other hand, was wearing dark blue and the result of Reno’s climax was quite visible on his sleeveless sweater. 

 

The Turk regarded the blonde with a smug expression of satisfaction.  He may as well have spray-painted “Reno wuz here” on Cloud’s chest.  He crossed the distance between them and slipped his arms around the blonde’s waist, knowing he only had moments before Cloud recovered his wits and remembered what had prompted the encounter in the first place. 

 

“Mmm, marked my territory good this time, yo.”  Reno kissed him sensually, darting his tongue between the blonde’s lips and flicking it against his.  Cloud responded with a low groan, his body reacting despite being sated only moments ago.  Reno was crafty enough not to resort to old tactics.  Cloud might be muzzy-headed with the afterglow of sex but the Turk respected his wits enough to assume he’d adapted to certain techniques.  Instead of trying to maneuver the blonde’s hands into a favorable position for cuffing, Reno tried something else.

 

Reno’s guess concerning the blonde’s instincts were correct.  He’d been unwillingly cuffed enough times by Reno in the past that he instinctively avoided putting his hands in a position that would leave him vulnerable.  He slipped a hand into the open V at the top of Reno’s shirt and explored his chest, while his other hand squeezed one of the redhead’s ass cheeks.  He was already getting hard again and he didn’t even think of protesting when the redhead began to sink down to his knees with rather obvious intentions.

 

“Might want to lean back against the wall, baby,” Reno suggested as he popped the button of Cloud’s pants open again and looked up at him.  “I’m gonna suck the hell out of your cock.”

 

Cloud’s breath caught in response to the promise and he twitched in his pants as a result.  He obligingly leaned against the wall for support and stared down at Reno with glowing, eager eyes.  Reno’s hands stroked his hips and ran down his outer thighs and legs.  The Turk nuzzled Cloud’s crotch and the blonde licked his lips with anticipation.  Reno closed his teeth over the pull-tab of the blonde’s zipper and tugged his fly down with slow deliberation. 

 

The action was so sexy that Cloud grunted with the effort to resist grabbing the Turk by the ponytail and shoving his cock into his mouth.  Reno’s hands were stroking his calves while he teasingly nuzzled the fighter’s straining package and Cloud tilted his head back and closed his eyes, unknowingly giving Reno the opportunity he needed.

 

“Click-click!”

 

Cloud’s eyes popped open as the sound reached his ears.  Reno deftly rolled away from him and stood up.  Cloud tried to take a step toward him but he was hobbled and he had to brace himself against the wall with his hands to keep from falling.  He shot a confused look at the Turk, then looked down and saw the titanium cuffs binding his ankles above his sneakers.

 

“Goddammit, Reno!”  Cloud gave him a furious glare, even as he flushed with embarrassment for having been duped yet again by the tricky redhead.  His sword was still lying on the floor several feet away and Reno was backing away from him with a regretful little smile.  “Come back here!  I’m going to wipe the floor with your ass for this!”

 

“Gotta catch me first, yo,” Reno countered nonchalantly.  “I know you’ll break out of those, but by the time ya do I’ll be gone.”  He looked at the blonde’s partially exposed erection and sighed.  “Hate to run before I’ve had dessert, but I don’t have time to fool around.  Maybe another time, Blondie.”  He winked at the fighter and turned to leave.

 

Cloud tried to hop after him.  “The only thing that’s happening the next time is going to be me kicking your ass!”

 

Reno paused and looked over his shoulder at him.  “Why don’t you hold off on that verdict until you call your pal Reeve, baby?  I’m sure he’ll give you the skinny on what’s really going on and then you can relax, yo.  Maybe you’ll even apologize to me, who knows?  Wish I didn’t have to leave you like this, but I’ve got a job to do.  See ya.”

 

Reno didn’t waste any more time, knowing the restraints would only hold Cloud for so long.  He hurried through the cave and out onto the paths, slowing only when he needed to catch his breath or watch his footing.  Cloud’s heartfelt curses rang in his ears as he made his way back down the mountain and he hoped Blondie would have the sense to call Tuesti when he got enough reception and ask him about the sample.  Reeve wasn’t obligated to keep the information from Cloud and it could simplify things a lot if he explained the situation to him.

 

~************************************~

* * *

 

Cloud swore violently and tucked himself back into his pants.  He hopped over to his sword and sat down beside it, grumbling as he picked the weapon up.  He began to pry at the thick links connecting the handcuffs with the blade.  Reno had sounded pretty sincere when he advised him to call Reeve and ask about it.  He would have asked what Reeve had to do with ShinRa collecting samples from Hojo’s experiments, but then he remembered that the engineer still had ties with Rufus.  In fact, Rufus was funding the WRO that Reeve was running, so it wasn’t unlikely that he could tell him what ShinRa wanted with the tissue sample.

 

_~Why couldn’t Reno just tell me himself, though?~_

Cloud hesitated in his efforts and grimaced as the answer came to him unbidden.  Even if Reno had been willing to break confidentiality and give him details, he probably knew that Cloud would never believe him.  For all the chemistry between the two of them, there had never been a solid foundation to build trust on. 

 

_~Maybe…maybe I should give the guy a chance.  He’s got his good qualities after all—I’ve seen that for myself.  He doesn’t just follow orders blindly.~_

Still, the things Reno found immoral enough to object to were few and far between.  He couldn’t take the chance…he had to catch Reno and at least hold him until he could get some information.  He wouldn’t be able to get any reception while in the mountains, so he couldn’t call Reeve to confirm Reno’s claims until he got into town.  Cloud resumed his efforts to break the cuffs hobbling his ankles, putting his full strength into it.

 

~************************************~

* * *

 

When Cloud made it back into town he ignored the looks he got from people that noticed the broken cuffs around his ankles.  He raced to Fenrir, panting as he mounted the bike and revved the engine to life.  He peeled out of town and swore when he spotted Reno in the distance, climbing into his helicopter.  His chances of reaching the Turk before he got the aircraft off the ground were slim, but Cloud kicked his bike into gear and tried anyway.

 

He swore as the chopper ascended just as he was yards away and he skidded Fenrir to a halt and grimly watched it leave.  Keeping his eyes on the retreating aircraft, he pulled his cellphone out and turned it on.  He glanced down long enough to select Reeve’s number and hit the speed dial and then he squinted up at the sky again at the helicopter. 

 

“This is Reeve Tuesti,” answered a cultured voice after several rings.

 

“Reeve, it’s Cloud.  I need to ask you some questions and I want you to be straight with me.”

 

The other man was quiet for a moment.  “Oo…kay.  What’s on your mind, Cloud?”

 

“I want to know why Reno of the Turks was in the Nibelheim reactor today, cutting a slice out of one of the test subjects that were still in there.”

 

~******************************************~

* * *

 

Reno was so sore by the time he got to his chopper and achieved liftoff that he had to search the first aid kit for some aspirin.  The rough sex he’d had with Cloud and his trip back down the mountain had him aching to the point where he had to sit at an angle to keep pressure off his posterior.  Once he’d safely gotten off the ground he looked out the window and spotted Cloud, who had just stopped his bike and was glaring up at him.

 

“Damn, he’s fast,” Reno muttered.  He must have just missed him.  The Turk breathed a sigh of relief and called up Rufus through the chopper transmitter to let him know he’d gotten the sample.  His next task would be to deliver it to Reeve at the WRO headquarters.

 

“Hey boss, it’s Reno.”

 

Rufus excused himself to someone in the background and it took a moment for him to answer the redhead.  “Reno, good.  Did you get it?”

 

“Yeah, I got it all right,” answered Reno with a grin, not referring entirely to the sample.  “Yo, I got it good.”

 

“Pardon?” Rufus’s voice was politely confused.

 

“Nothing, Sir,” Reno quickly said, cursing his big mouth.  “It woke up and attacked me is all.  I had to put a few bullets into it.”

 

“Are you injured?”

 

Reno grimaced.  “Just a little sore.”

 

_~In my ass.~_

  “Good.  Make the drop off and come see me when you’re finished.”

 

Reno winced.  He’d have to rush home first and change his clothes.  Though Rufus had told him that he wouldn’t interfere with any liaisons he had with Cloud and promised to give up his plans to recruit the blonde over to their side, Reno knew his sandy-haired lover was still jealous of Strife.  If he walked into that office covered in Cloud’s scent and wearing a cum-stained shirt, Rufus was bound to figure it out and Reno just didn’t want to see that jealousy in his superior’s gray eyes.

 

“Yes sir,” he answered lightly, “See you soon, yo.”

 

He ended the transmission and shifted in his seat, grunting when his tender backside throbbed.  When he was almost to his destination, he felt his cell vibrate in his pocket and he yanked it out to peer at it.  He had text message from Cloud.  Reno sucked his teeth in thought, wondering if he was prepared for whatever it said.  Deciding he couldn’t stand not knowing, he opened the message and read it.  A single word showed up on the screen.

 

“Sorry.”

 

A slow smile lifted the corners of Reno’s mouth.  For someone with such mad fighting skills, Cloud had a boyish shy streak.  “Heh.  Sometimes, you can be real cute, Blondie.”  Whistling softly, Reno pocketed the device.

 

~****************************~

* * *

 

“Sorry it took me so long, boss,” Reno said as he walked into the President’s office.  “I had to take a quick shower and change after I got into town.  I got some of that shit the thing was floating in on me and it stank.”

 

Rufus was standing at his window and he turned to face him.  He examined the redhead with raised eyebrows.  For once, Reno was wearing his uniform properly.  His shirt was buttoned up to the collar, his blazer was properly zipped and he wore a tie.  In contrast, his hair was hanging loose instead of tied back according to regulation.  It was usually the other way around and the President found it very peculiar.

 

“Is today ‘opposite day’, Reno?” Rufus inquired dryly.  “I never got the memo.”

 

“Huh?”

 

Rufus eyed the Turk’s suit meaningfully.  “You’re finally in uniform but your hair breaks regulation codes.  I’ve been witness to some very odd spontaneous behavior from you before, but there’s usually a reason behind it.  This seems…random.”

 

Reno stayed as relaxed and casual as he could as he approached the desk.  “Oh, that.  My hair band snapped on the way here from my apartment, yo.  I just wanted to see your reaction to me walking in here dressed like the other Turks.”  He grinned at his lover and boss, hoping he wouldn’t see through his charade.  Rufus’s eyes narrowed on him and he gulped. 

 

The blonde saw the movement of Reno’s Adam’s apple and he knew for certain that something was off.  “Come here,” Rufus said softly.

 

Reno gave him a sensual grin and pretended it was desire he heard in the man’s voice…not suspicion.  He obeyed and his tension rose when Rufus reached out and caught hold of his tie as soon as he was close enough. 

 

“Don’t like the tie or something?” Reno asked. 

 

“I don’t like lies,” corrected Rufus coolly.  He loosened the redhead’s tie and Reno didn’t dare stop him.  “You’re hiding something and I suspect I’ll find out what if I unbutton this shirt.  Am I getting warm, Fox?”

 

Reno swallowed again and worked his mouth as his superior steadily undid the buttons of his shirt.  “Well, you know how I said I was attacked at the reactor today?”  The jig was up…Rufus was about to see Cloud’s little territorial marks on him and there was no use lying to him.

 

Rufus paused and his steely eyes caught Reno’s.  “You said you were uninjured.  Is that what you’re trying to hide from me, Reno?”  He frowned.  “If you’ve been bitten or scratched you _need_ to be examined.  Those creatures in that reactor have Mako running through their veins and their saliva is likely laced with it as well.”

 

Reno felt a leaden ball of guilt in his stomach.  Rufus was concerned for him, subtle though his expression of it might be.  He wasn’t the most affectionate man in the world but the redhead knew he genuinely loved him, and here he was lying to the man.  “Okay look,” he said softly, “I did get bitten but it’s not—” 

 

“Let me see,” Rufus demanded, pulling Reno’s shirt open and brushing his vivid red hair away from his shoulders.

 

Reno stammered in his attempt to finish telling Rufus that it wasn’t the lab specimen that bit him.  His throat and chest were exposed and the President’s eyes roved over the pale, bared skin.  When he saw the raspberry bruises and the human teeth marks on Reno’s throat, Rufus frowned. 

 

“Reno.”

 

“Yeah, boss?”

 

“Was this mutant a vampire?”

 

“Um…no Sir.”

 

“Then please tell me, why would necking be its attack technique?”  Rufus’s tone was sardonic.

 

“Actually, a wolf did that.  You know…the blonde variety, yo.”  Reno lowered his eyes and grimaced.

 

Rufus heaved a tired sigh.  “I see.  So am I to understand that you had an…encounter…with Strife?”

 

“Yeah, but it wasn’t something I set up, yo,” the redhead answered defensively,  “He just showed up at the reactor and helped me kill the freak I was getting the sample from.  Uh, one thing kinda led to another.”

 

Rufus crossed his arms over his chest.  “He just ‘showed up’,” he repeated.  “Just like that?  Doesn’t that sound a bit convenient to you?”

 

“I know what you’re thinking,” Reno said, “and you’re wrong.  I didn’t call him up and invite him on a freakin’ date at the reactor, boss.  He just showed up in town around the same time I did and I still don’t know what the hell he was doing there!”

 

Rufus reigned in his jealousy and spoke softly to his agitated lover.  “Calm down, Reno.  I believe you.  I just find it strange that he arrived in the reactor just when you were collecting the sample.  I can’t imagine Strife being opposed to the research plans we’ve made…if he even knows about them.”

 

“He didn’t know about ‘em,” Reno confirmed.  “He didn’t know why I was cutting a piece out of the thing after we killed it but I think he drew his own conclusions, yo.  He tried to stop me from taking the sample and we ended up fighting.”

 

“Fighting,” Rufus said dubiously, eyeing the markings on Reno’s throat again.

 

The Turk gestured at his neck.  “This happened after.”

 

The left corner of Rufus’s mouth turned up subtly.  “I know the value of makeup sex, so I won’t ask for details.  I suppose the encounter was what convinced him to stop interfering with your mission, or did you tell him about the project?”

 

“I told him it was classified and he’d have to ask Reeve if he wanted to know more about it,” Reno said truthfully.  “You never said I could tell him so I didn’t, yo.”

 

Rufus nodded.  “Good.  Now I have one other question for you.  Why did you try to hide this from me?”

 

Reno shrugged and averted his gaze.  “I wasn’t sure how you’d react, yo.  I know you said you were cool with me and Strife but…well…”

 

“I obviously haven’t perfected control over my jealousy,” Rufus guessed with a wry smirk.  “Reno, I meant what I said to you.  You don’t have to conceal it from me every time you have a tryst with him.  I don’t particularly want you to flaunt it, but I’ll learn to accept it.”

 

Reno’s tension faded and he gave the other man a crooked smile. 

 

~************************************~

* * *

 

Cloud was confused.  Reeve had explained everything to him and the blonde remembered Reno saying: _“Maybe you’ll even apologize to me, who knows?”_

 

Guilt over drawing the worst conclusion gnawed at him—not because it was unfair to accuse the ShinRa company of foul deeds but because he he’d been unfair to Reno.  True, the redhead had deceived him and cuffed his ankles to stall him, but if Cloud had given him the benefit of the doubt, he probably wouldn’t have done that in the first place. 

 

_~I can’t really be mad at the guy for being good at his job.  He was just doing what it took to finish his assignment and avoid another fight.~_

As he drove into Edge, he realized that Reno had never deliberately hurt him in order to subdue him.  He could have stunned him with that rod of his or hit him over the head to knock him out, but outside of full-blown battles with him, Reno had always used the cuffing method.  Was it just because he _liked_ handcuffs so much, or could it be that he chose to use them because he didn’t want to hurt him?

 

_~Knowing him, it’s probably a little of both…the kinky bastard.~_

Cloud snorted at the thought.  Reno’s sexuality definitely wasn’t the average garden variety.  Not only did Reno have a habit of cuffing and screwing _him_ whenever he got the opportunity, but the guy had three lovers!  Two of them were his superiors and the other was his work partner.  As far as Cloud knew, he was the only other man Reno was sleeping with besides Rufus, Rude and Tseng.  Cloud had gotten used to the idea that he was sharing Reno with those guys but the thought of him sleeping with anyone else outside of that circle bothered the blonde.

 

“That doesn’t make any damned sense,” Cloud grumbled to himself.  “How can I be okay with him fucking Rufus Shinra and the Turks, but jealous at the thought of him screwing anyone else?”

 

Fortunately, the golden-haired fighter had no idea of how similar his thoughts were to Rufus Shinra’s. 

 

~****************************************~

* * *

 

Cloud went to the house to have a shower and change clothes first.  Nobody else was at home because it was business hours at the bar and Marlene and Denzel were away visiting Barret in Corel.  After he got cleaned up and changed, he ate a quick meal and watched the evening news.  He kept reaching for his cellphone and then abruptly changing his mind.  He wanted to call Reno but at the same time, he didn’t.  He’d never gotten an answering text message for the brief apology he’d sent. 

 

The Turk wasn’t normally the sort of guy to hold a grudge but Cloud wondered if he’d finally insulted him one too many times.  When he thought about it, he couldn’t count how many times he’d called Reno an asshole, a liar, untrustworthy, etcetera…but Reno always laughed it off and never took it personally.  Maybe he was starting to, though.  Reno never had a problem apologizing to Cloud when he did something to piss him off, but the blonde realized he hardly ever bothered apologizing to the redhead…and he’d said plenty of hurtful things to the man.  Maybe a one-word text apology wasn’t enough. 

 

Sighing, Cloud decided he needed a beer and a friendly face.  He turned the TV off and locked up the house before going to the bar to see Tifa.

 

~*************************************~

* * *

 

 

 Seventh Heaven was busy when Cloud walked in.  He made his way to the bar and Tifa spotted him and tossed him a smile, holding up one finger to signal that she’d be with him in a minute.  He leaned against the counter and waited, looking around for a seat.  He couldn’t see any available from his viewpoint, but he could have a more thorough look after he got his drink.

 

After mixing a drink for a customer, Tifa made her way to Cloud.  “How was Nibelheim?” she asked carefully.  She couldn’t always bring herself to go with him when he made his yearly trips there and she admired him for enduring it without fail. 

 

Cloud shrugged.  “Pretty much the same.  There’s a new shop in town but that’s all I noticed different.”

 

“I’m sorry I didn’t go this time,” Tifa said in a low-pitched voice.  Her brown eyes reflected sorrow and loss.

 

Cloud reached out and squeezed her hand.  “It’s okay.  I know how hard it is.”

 

She sighed and nodded, putting her emotions in check.  “So, what will it be tonight, beer or a mixed drink?”

 

“Beer,” he answered.  “At least to start out with.”

 

Tifa went to the cooler and selected his favorite beer.  He noticed a tense look on her face as she handed it to him and he assumed it was because her mind was on the Nibelheim tragedy.  “Are there any seats available anywhere?” he asked, choosing not to comment on the tension he could sense.

 

“There’s one,” she said reluctantly, gesturing vaguely over her shoulder and to the left.  “At a table in the back corner.  Um…someone saved it for you.”

 

Cloud frowned at her.  “Who?”

 

She grimaced.  “Reno.  He showed up about twenty minutes ago and said he knew you’d end up coming here.  Cloud, is he having you watched?”

 

The blonde flushed and his heart rate picked up annoyingly.  Reno must have flown straight there after he finished his assignment.  Just when he thought he was starting to understand the man, he pulled a surprise on him. 

 

“No, I don’t think so,” he answered.  His cerulean eyes scanned the floor, seeking a familiar shock of cinnamon colored hair.  There were too many people in the way for him to spot him.  He turned his attention back to Tifa.  “Don’t worry, Reno just has a knack for guesses.”

 

Tifa almost asked him what Reno wanted with him, but then she remembered the one-night stand Cloud had with the Turk months ago.  If the faint blush on his fair face was any indication, the blonde had more than one encounter with Reno since then.  She suspected that one of those encounters took place the night they ran into Reno at the festival in Kalm, but she didn’t want to embarrass Cloud. 

 

“Just be careful with him, okay Cloud?” She murmured.  She wasn’t about to tell him whom he could sleep with and to be fair, Reno was a fox…but she didn’t want Cloud losing his head and winding up hurt.

 

The blonde’s flush deepened in response to her words and her knowing look.  “I know what I’m doing,” he mumbled.

 

“I’m sure you do,” Tifa shrugged.  “But as your friend, I’m obligated to lecture you.”

 

Cloud chuckled and left the bar to make his way to the back of the room.  He finally spotted the vivid head of hair he’d been searching for and his pulse quickened again.  Reno was relaxing at the two-seater table, absently spinning a coin between his long fingers and over his knuckles as he nursed an orange-red drink. 

 

His hair was hanging loose down his back and for the first time Cloud had ever seen, his Turk uniform was done up professionally.  His dark-shaded goggles were the only things that weren’t different from his usual appearance; they sat comfortably at the top of his head as usual.  Cloud stared at him, fascinated with the new look and mesmerized by the way his hand deftly made the coin dance.

 

Reno seemed to sense his presence and the redhead slowly looked up and met his eyes.  A sensual smile curved his lips and he caught the coin between his thumb and index finger.  “Hey, Blondie.  Have a seat, yo.”

 

Cloud pulled the chair out on the opposite side of the table and sat down, taking a swig of his beer before setting it on the table.  His eyes were glued to the Turk and he couldn’t make them look elsewhere no matter how hard he tried. 

 

Reno was watching him with a sly expression on his pale, sculpted features.  “Apology accepted, man.”

 

Cloud didn’t immediately comprehend the words.  “Huh?  Oh…right.”  He bit his lip and blushed deeper, finally tearing his eyes off the Turk.  He heard a soft, sexy laugh from the slim redhead and he glanced at him covertly to find him devouring him with his eyes.

 

“You’re so fucking cute, Cloud.”  Reno sipped his drink and chuckled into it when the blonde muttered a soft, embarrassed denial.  “You are.  Deal with it.  Anyhow, I guess your little text message to me means ya talked to Reeve, right?  Did he tell ya what’s going on?”

 

“Yeah,” Cloud admitted, taking another deep swig of his beer.  It was already half-gone and he felt a burp rising.  He turned his head and covered his mouth as it erupted.  “’Scuse me.”

 

“There ain’t no excuse for you,” Reno teased.

 

Cloud rolled his eyes.  “Whatever.  So you flew all the way here just to tell me you accept my apology?”

 

Reno shrugged casually and bounced the coin he’d been playing with off the table and into the empty shot glass near his drink.  “Just wanted to hang out with ya for a while, if that’s all right.  How about a game of shots, man?”

 

Cloud considered the redhead thoughtfully.  He’d secretly wanted the chance to do something just like this, for the longest time.  It was refreshing to him that Reno also wanted a more normalized experience with him.  “I guess we could do that.”

 

“Cool.”  Reno motioned for one of the barmaids and ordered another beer for Cloud, a drink refill for himself and a couple of shots of whiskey.  “It’s on me, yo,” the redhead said to Cloud with a wink.

 

“So how did you know I’d be here anyway?” Cloud asked suspiciously.

 

Reno clucked his tongue against the roof of his mouth.  “It wasn’t rocket science, Strife.  For one thing, ya brood like nobody I ever met.  For another thing, there’s no place better than a bar to get your brooding on.  Finally, what’s a better bar to brood at then the one being run by your little lady friend?”

 

The fighter couldn’t really argue any of those points.  He finished his beer and motioned with the empty bottle to Reno’s attire.  “So what’s with the professional look?  Or should I say ‘semi-professional’, since your hair isn’t pulled back.”

 

Reno’s long, tourmaline eyes sparkled with mischief as he leaned forward.  “You don’t remember?” He whispered, “I got bitten by a wolf I was playing with today, man.  He got a little too frisky, yo.”

 

The memory of fucking Reno against the cavern wall and biting him on the neck rushed back to Cloud and he shifted in his seat.  “Afraid of people seeing it?” he challenged, trying to conceal the sudden rush of desire he felt.

 

Reno’s eyes flashed with lusty amusement.  “Hell no, I’ll stand up and announce it to the whole bar, if you want me to.”  Then, to Cloud’s horror, the redhead began to rise from his seat.  “Yo, I’ve got something to say,” Reno hollered as the blonde tried to grab his arm and force him back down.  He avoided Cloud’s reaching hand and grinned.

 

“Reno, cut it out!” Cloud hissed as people looked at the Turk curiously.

 

“Can’t,” Reno shot back with a wink, “ya gave me a challenge, goldilocks.  What’s the point of marking your territory if nobody sees it, yo?”

 

“Reno- sit-the-fuck-back-down-right-now!”  Cloud’s words came out in a jumbled rush and his wide blue eyes flicked from Reno to the crowd of people looking at him.

 

Reno pointed at the blushing blonde.  “This guy here—mph!”

 

Cloud had jumped up as soon as he started talking and he grabbed Reno around the waist with one arm and clamped his free hand over his mouth to muffle his announcement.  The Turk snickered behind the fighter’s hand and tried to tear it away from his mouth. 

 

He managed to pry Cloud’s hand away for a second.  “See, he’s a really good—mph!”

 

People were mumbling and some were chuckling as Cloud wrestled his hand over Reno’s mouth again and hissed at him to shut up.  The blonde looked at the crowd and he spotted Tifa staring from behind the bar.  The brunette had her eyebrows raised and she looked like she was torn between amusement and annoyance.

 

“Mechanic,” Cloud finished desperately.  “Uh…just a little business talk, right Reno?”

 

Reno shook his head and yanked Cloud’s hand away from his mouth again.  “Nah, he’s a really good fu—“ The hand clamped down on his mouth again, this time with bruising force.

 

“Okay, I take it back,” whispered Cloud into the Turk’s ear, “you’ve made your point!”

 

“Vhuphll fa gif mph ‘f vi fuf uf?” Reno mumbled.

 

Cloud couldn’t understand the muffled question.  He looked at the audience sternly.  “Just go back to what you were doing.  Sorry about the interruption.”

 

It took a moment for them to comply, but most of the patrons knew who he was and what he could do—despite his youthful, fair countenance.  Most of them turned their attention elsewhere and Cloud blew a sigh of relief.

 

“Now, what did you say?” Cloud murmured in Reno’s ear as he loosened his hold over his mouth, “and don’t holler.”

 

“I said; ‘what’ll ya give me if I shut up?’” Reno purred, pressing his bottom against Cloud’s pelvis.

 

Cloud swallowed and his groin began to swell in his pants.  “I’ll give you a hand job later if you cut it out,” he promised, blushing furiously.

 

“Mmm, nice bargain yo,” Reno murmured.  “Ya got yourself a deal, babe.”

 

Cloud released him and quickly sat back down.  Thankfully the barmaid returned with their drinks and Cloud started chugging his beer immediately, trying to ignore the smirk Reno shot at him as he sat back down, too. 

 

“So Cloud, I hear ya dressed in drag a few years back to infiltrate Corneo’s mansion,” Reno said conversationally as he positioned the empty shot glass and started making calculations with the coin.  “Any truth to that?”

 

Cloud’s sapphire gaze was startled and the flush already present in his cheeks spread down his face, to his neck and even to his ears.  “That was…I was trying to…how did you hear about that?!”

 

Reno had to pause in sipping his drink as he shook with soft laughter.  “So it’s true?  Man, I’d like to see that!  Never thought you’d be the type, yo.”  He controlled his laughter for long enough to bounce the coin on the table and into the glass.  “Take a shot, man.”

 

Cloud grumbled and grabbed his shot and Reno motioned for one of the barmaids while he downed it.  “Hey doll, just bring us a whole bottle, would ya?  Otherwise we’ll be running you all night long.”  He winked at the barmaid while Cloud gaped and she blushed and hurried to comply.

 

“You flirt with everyone, don’t you?” Cloud said, grimacing as the liquor burned his throat.

 

“It’s my nature, Blondie,” Reno answered with a shrug.  “Don’t get yourself worked up though—I only fuck guys and you’re the only one I’m doing outside the inner circle, yo.  Your turn.”  The redhead slid the glass with the coin in it over to the blonde.

 

Cloud sighed and rinsed down the shot with a swig of beer.  “So it’s just me, Rufus, Tseng and Rude?” he questioned as he fished the coin out of the glass and took aim.  He pressed his lips together and he flushed again when Reno gave him a bright, knowing look.

 

“Jealous, baby?” The Turk studied him with interest.

 

“No,” Cloud insisted.  “I mean, I knew you were with Rufus and the others.  I can handle that.”

 

“Soooo, the thought of me with someone other than you or them bothers you?” Reno persisted.  His eyes were narrowed and thoughtful, even as his lips were curving into a sexy smirk.

 

“I don’t have the right to be jealous,” Cloud said as casually as he could.

 

“That ain’t what I asked ya, Blondie.”

 

“Hey look, here comes the barmaid with our liquor,” the fighter said evasively.  He bounced the coin but he was so flustered his aim sucked.  It struck the rim of the glass and failed to go in.     

 

“Hmm, you missed,” observed Reno.  He thanked the barmaid as she set the bottle of whiskey on the table and took away their empty bottles and glasses.  “My turn again, yo.  Did I get under your skin, Cloud?”

 

 “No,” the blonde lied.  He tried to calm his agitation, tried to regain control of his cool and his raging blush factor. 

 

“I think I did, just a little,” Reno said with a smug glance at him.  The Turk got the coin into the glass again and poured another shot for the blonde.  “Drink up, baby.”

 

Cloud grumbled again and poured the shot into his mouth.

 

“Ya know, you’ve got more in common with Rufus than you think, yo.”

 

Cloud spontaneously choked and turned to the side just in time to spray his mouthful of whiskey all over the wall.  “You did NOT just say that,” he coughed as he wiped his mouth on his arm.

 

“Sure I did,” Reno chuckled.  “Here, use this.”  He pulled a couple of napkins out of the holder on the table and handed them over to him.

 

Cloud wiped his mouth and gave the redhead an exasperated look.  “Okay, I’ll bite.  What exactly is it you think I’ve got in common with Rufus, besides you?”

 

 “First admit you can’t stand the thought of me fucking anyone outside of the four of you and then I’ll answer your question, yo.”  Reno was smiling at him in a way Cloud hadn’t seen him smile since they’d first met.  There was something dark and dangerous about that smile.

 

“Why does it matter?” Cloud argued angrily.

 

“’Cause I wanna know if I’m right.  Start wagging that talented tongue of yours, Blondie.”  His expression…changed.  He wasn’t teasing anymore—he was dead serious.

 

Cloud had no idea why it mattered so much to Reno how he felt about who he slept with.  He didn’t want to let it ruin what had started turning into a pretty decent night, so he took the plunge and sighed.  “Fine, have it your way.  I do hate the thought of you being with someone else.  Doesn’t mean I think I’ve got a say in it, though.”

 

Reno’s serious expression relaxed.  “Mm-hmm,” he hummed in satisfaction.  He slid the coin glass back over to Cloud.

 

The blonde raised an eyebrow.  “What?”

 

Reno sipped his cocktail and nodded at the shot glass.  “Take your shot, Strife.  I’m thirsty.”

 

“You’re already drinking,” Cloud pointed out.

 

“Not the whiskey.  Hurry up, already, yo.” 

 

Cloud sighed and took aim.  This time, he got the coin into the glass.  “There, now drink and tell me what the hell you’re talking about.”

 

“Touchy,” Reno chuckled.  He downed his shot and shivered.  “Alright, I’ll tell ya.  For one thing, you and Rufus have the same selective jealousy when it comes to me, yo.”

 

Cloud worked that over in his head and grimaced.  “So Rufus doesn’t have a problem with you and I anymore…is that what you’re saying?”

 

“Yup,” Reno confirmed as he reached for the glass and pulled it back over to his side of the table.  “But if I slept with another outsider he’d make me pay for it, get it?”

 

“Well I’d never—“

 

“Doesn’t matter,” Reno interrupted with a grin.  “The point is, you’ve got the same hang-ups as him when it comes to me.”

 

Cloud scowled, disliking being compared to the President for any reason…even if he could totally empathize with Rufus Shinra’s feelings about sharing Reno with only a select few people.  “So what else do you think I’ve got in common with him?”

 

Reno’s smile grew and he leaned over the table and cupped the back of Cloud’s head, putting his mouth close to the fighter’s ear.  “Ya both fuck like beasts,” he purred lasciviously, capturing Cloud’s earring between his teeth and tugging lightly on it.  “Nobody else makes me beg and scream like you two, baby.  Sometimes I don’t even know if I can take it, yo.”

 

Cloud’s eyes shut and his body went hot with lust.  Reno’s tongue traced the shell of his ear briefly and Cloud’s body reacted so strongly that the top button of his pants popped right off.  Reno backed off with a smug look in his eyes and sat down in his seat.  To any onlookers, it appeared that the Turk simply whispered something in the blonde’s ear. 

 

“Seriously Cloud…if they could harness that kind of thrust, the space program would have had a dozen successful launches by now, yo.”  He winked conspiratively at the blonde, enjoying the burning flame of lust in his eyes and the way his breath caught.  He scored another dunk in the shot glass and he jerked his chin at the whisky bottle and kept his eyes on the blonde. 

 

Cloud knew that Reno had whispered the erotic comments into his ear just to get a reaction out of him…not to keep anyone from overhearing.  He tore his carnal gaze off of the redhead and clenched his jaw, forcing his libido down as he poured a shot and downed it. 

 

~So what if Rufus and I both give it to him rough?  I’m nothing like that asshole and I don’t care what Reno says.~

 

“So, back to the cross-dressing incident,” Reno prompted as he passed the coin glass back to Cloud.  “What happened with that, yo?  I know you didn’t let that disgusting creep—” 

“Hell no!” Cloud denied fervently.  He pitched his voice lower and leaned closer to Reno.  “Look, I only did it to get Tifa out of there.  That was how we found out about…about the plans for Sector seven.  You know that part, though.”

 

Reno’s ginger lashes lowered and he turned his cocktail glass slowly with his fingers.  “Yeah, I know about that part,” he murmured. 

 

Cloud’s alcohol softened heart suddenly went out to him.  He’d known for some time now that Reno carried some remorse for his part in that incident.  That he was just following orders wasn’t enough to redeem the redhead, but his regret over it made it harder to hold a grudge against him.

 

Thinking it was better to avoid the subject, Cloud bounced the coin into the glass and poured Reno another shot.  “Gotcha,” he said with a crooked smile.

 

Reno lifted the shot and returned the smile.  “Cheers, Blondie.”

 

~*************************~

* * *

 

Cloud never got the chance that night to give Reno the hand job he promised him in exchange for shutting up.  They got caught up in the drinking game and talking about their different experiences and both of them forgot about the compromise.  Only a few patrons were left in the bar by the time the bottle that Reno had purchased was three-fourths empty.

 

Reno was entertaining Cloud with the story of his and Rude’s first assignment together.  “…So Rude says, ‘Yeah…well, the Turks don’t compromise with punks that kidnap our own, man.’ The next fucking thing I know, everyone’s reaching for guns, yo.”

 

Cloud found the story inappropriately funny…especially the description of everyone’s reaction when Rude abruptly shot the guy in the head for hitting Cissnei.  He laughed as Reno described the shootout and the bomb going off in the house.  “So did you guys get in trouble for being so extreme about it?”  He asked when Reno finished.

 

“Almost,” Reno admitted with a nod.  “The Prez didn’t like us drawing attention to the orga…organization,” he stumbled on the word and covered his mouth on a burp.  “But as soon as he found out we brought all the ranshom money back, he was cool.”

 

“Did you just say ‘ranshom’?” Cloud asked with a smile.

 

Reno’s brows drew down.  “Nah, I said ranshom…er…ran…ransom.  Ya know what I meant.”  He waved a hand negligently and smirked.  “Anyhow, Rufush was happy with the way things turned out.  He liked…um…ya know…he liked…”

 

“Violence?” suggested Cloud dryly, choosing not to call attention to Reno’s referral to Rufus as “Rufush”.

 

“No, man,” Reno countered with a huff.  “He liked showing people whose boss, yo.  His old man liked to use his money but Rufush uses his balls.”

 

Cloud snickered helplessly at Reno’s inadvertent pun.  “Balls, huh?  There’s a picture I could have lived without.”  Cloud tried to control his laughter as he took aim with the coin.

 

Reno stared at him for a moment and then it clicked.  He joined Cloud in the laughter, sucking in gulps of air as his sides began to ache.  “Oh fuck,” the redhead guffawed, “I think I cracked a rib, yo!  Okay, okay…we gotta stop, man.”

 

There was a “clink” as Cloud bounced the coin into the glass.  “Bottom’s up,” he said with a smirk at the redhead.  His aim wasn’t perfect as he poured the shot and he sloshed a little whiskey on the table.  Reno took it and swallowed it gamely.

 

“Yo, am I ever gonna get to see you in that *hic* dress, Cloud?” Reno asked as he peered blearily at the shot glass and tried to aim the coin.

 

Cloud looked around with faint alarm.  “Shhh,” he shushed sloppily, accidentally blowing a little spittle on the finger he put to his lips.  “I don’t want that shit advertised!  And no, you’re never gonna see me in a dress.  That was a one-time thing I want to forget about.”

 

“Awww,” Reno pouted.  “I’ll bet you were cute, yo.  Damn, is there a train going by or something?  This glass ain’t holding still.”

 

Cloud chuckled.  He wasn’t terribly steady on his feet either but Reno was getting pretty trashed.  “It’s not a train…you’re just drunk.  And why would you wanna see me dressed like a girl anyhow?  You said yourself you only like guys.”

 

“Never said I wouldn’t go for a hot blonde guy in a dress,” countered the redhead with a wink.  He kept aiming the coin, closing one eye in an attempt to focus on the glass better.

 

“Then ask Rufus to put a dress on,” Cloud suggested.

 

Reno barked a laugh and slapped the table.  “Yo, he’d shoot me for even suggeshting it!”  He and Cloud laughed together again, neither of them noticing Tifa looking impatiently at the clock on the wall.

 

“Alrighty, here I go,” Reno slurred after getting his laughter back under control.  He chucked the coin with inordinate clumsiness and it ricocheted off the table and popped Cloud in the forehead, just above the small scar in his left eyebrow.

 

“OW, SHIT!” Cloud yelled as he slapped a hand over the spot.

 

Reno realized what he’d done and he lurched out of the chair and rounded the table to grab the blonde’s head.  “Aw, sorry baby…you okay?”  He pushed Cloud’s head against his chest and stroked his hair with rough, bungling motions.  “Lemme look at it.”

 

“Remo, you’rf smoverink me,” Cloud mumbled against the Turk’s chest.

 

Tifa decided it was time for an intervention and she came out from behind the bar and closed the distance.  “Okay guys, you may not have noticed but the bar is cleared out and it’s closing time.  Time to go home.”  She moved around to Cloud’s other side and eased Reno’s hand away from his head.  “Let me have a look.”

 

“I’m fine,” Cloud huffed when he pulled free of Reno’s embrace.  “Both of you quit fussing!”

 

Reno winced when he saw the little red welt on the blonde’s forehead.  Tifa examined it and clicked her tongue.  “It’s just a scratch.  Put some ice on it when you get home.”

 

“Guess it’s time for me to head out, yo,” Reno said softly.  “Sorry I pinged ya, man.”

 

“You’re not flying in your condition,” Cloud said with a stern look up at the Turk.

 

“I booked a room at the hotel,” Reno informed him.  “I’ll be all right, Blondie.”

 

“Then I’m making sure you get there okay,” Cloud muttered stubbornly.

 

Reno stumbled and barely caught himself on the table.  Tifa sighed at him and looked at Cloud, knowing he probably wasn’t going to make it home tonight if he was seeing Reno to his hotel.  “I’ll call a cab for you.  Be careful, Cloud.  I’ll see you sometime tomorrow.”  She gave him a chaste kiss on the cheek and went to work on helping her barmaids clean up.

 

Reno looked at the brunette and felt a sudden, unreasonable burst of jealousy toward her.  It was stupid…he knew they were just friends but seeing the easy affection she showed for Cloud made him realize he was missing out on something special.  He blamed it on the liquor and tried to take a step away from the table.

 

That was a mistake.  Reno tripped over his own feet and if Cloud hadn’t seen him going down and lunged out of his chair to catch him, he would have ended up sprawled on the floor. 

 

“Easy, I’ve got you,” Cloud murmured as Reno swore and shook his head in an effort to clear it.  “Come on Reno, let’s get you to your hotel.”

 

 ~*****************************~

* * *

 

-To be continued


	3. Chapter 3

“Guardian”

Chapter 3

~*******************************************~

* * *

*Disclaimer:  The world that this story is set in and all characters therein belong to Square-Enix.  This fiction piece is strictly a non-profit exercise of creativity and entertainment for people (like me) who can’t get enough of this world and the characters.* 

~***********************************************~

* * *

 

Cloud supported Reno as they walked through the door.  The redhead’s arm was draped around his neck and Cloud held onto the wrist of that hand, while keeping his other arm around Reno’s waist.  He shut the door behind him using his foot and then he guided the other man to the bed to ease him onto it. 

 

“Want me to get something for you?” offered the blonde.  “Something to eat or some coffee?  There’s a café in the lounge.”

 

“Just a lot of ice water,” Reno answered after some thought.  “I wanna drink as much as I can before I pass out, yo.  It’ll re-hydrate me while I sleep and keep me from getting too hungover.”

 

“Ice water,” Cloud repeated with an interested lift of his eyebrows.  “I never would have thought of that.  Okay, there should be some plastic cups and a water pitcher in the bathroom.  I’ll get the pitcher and find the ice machine.”

 

Reno gave him a lopsided grin and reclined on the bed, propping himself on his elbows and leaving his legs dangling over the side.  “You’re a pretty good nursemaid, yo.”

 

Cloud shrugged.  “I just don’t want to end up holding your hair back while you heave your guts out over the toilet.  Be right back.”

 

~***************************************~

* * *

 

Reno was tugging feebly at his tie and grumbling when Cloud returned with the filled pitcher.

 

“Feels like I’m choking,” the redhead slurred.

 

“Here, let me help with that,” Cloud offered.  He put the pitcher on the little table in the room and sat down beside Reno.  He reached out and loosened the tie before tugging it over his head and setting it on the nightstand.  Seeing that the other man’s normally deft fingers were fumbling with the buttons of his shirt too, Cloud unzipped the blazer and pushed Reno’s hands aside to unbutton his shirt for him.

 

“Thanks,” Reno sighed with relief when the last button was undone and his shirt was pulled open. 

 

Cloud helped him out of his jacket and draped the clothing article over the back of one of the chairs by the table, then he poured a cup of water for the Turk and handed it to him.  Reno drank it all down rapidly and Cloud’s eyebrows shot up.

 

“Thirsty?” The blonde said as he grabbed the pitcher and set it on the nightstand beside his bed.  Reno nodded wordlessly and poured himself another glass.  He drank most of the pitcher before he was quenched and Cloud shook his head and grinned.  “You’re going to be pissing nonstop through the night,” the blonde predicted.

 

Reno set the cup and pitcher back on the nightstand and shook his head.  “Nah, when you’ve got this much liquor in ya, it all goes to replacing what you lost, man.  Why don’tcha come here and siddown, Strife?”  The redhead patted the mattress next to him and Cloud took him up on the offer.

 

He saw the marks on his companion’s neck for the first time and he was a little shocked.  There were several livid purple hickeys marring the smooth, pale skin and two sets of teeth marks.  One set was faint and would probably fade during the night, but the other set was prominent with bruising.  If he’d bitten any harder it would have broken the skin. 

 

“Shit, did _I_ do all that?” Cloud muttered as he traced the bite marks with his fingertips.

 

“You sure did, Blondie,” Reno answered smugly.  The redhead went abruptly still as Cloud leaned in and began licking at the wounds, like a wolf trying to soothe a hurt.  He paused every few seconds to kiss the spots, his lips soft and pliant against the skin.  Reno’s groin stirred and he combed his fingers through Cloud’s soft hair.  “Mmm, I like that, yo.”

 

“Do they hurt?” Cloud murmured as he unconsciously slid a hand into the opening of Reno’s shirt to explore.

 

“Nah,” answered the redhead.  “Well, the big bite’s a little tender but hickeys don’t hurt anyhow; they just look like they do.  Mmm, Cloud…you’ve got a great pair of lips, yo.  Feels good.” 

 

Cloud knew that he should probably tuck Reno into bed and let him sleep it off, but he recalled the promise he’d made to him earlier in the bar and suddenly, he wanted very much to fulfill it.  Reno was uncommonly passive, thanks to the booze.  This was the perfect chance for Cloud to touch him as he wished, without the redhead trying to cuff him or dominate the encounter.  He kept licking and kissing Reno’s neck while he stroked his chest and stomach with his palm.  He gently squeezed a nipple and followed up by rubbing it.  It hardened and Reno purred with pleasure, turning his head to nuzzle the side of Cloud’s face. 

 

Cloud put his free arm around Reno’s back to support him as he stimulated his nipples and caressed his chest.  He could feel the Turk’s heart beating faster under his palm and he could certainly relate.  He nibbled Reno’s ear and toyed with the silver hoop in the lobe with his tongue.  Reno groaned softly and Cloud let his exploring hand slide down over the flat stomach, feeling the tight muscles clench as he rubbed in gentle circles. 

 

“Tickle?” inquired the blonde against Reno’s ear when he felt the little quiver in his abdomen.

 

“A little,” Reno answered with a soft chuckle.  “It’s still nice, though.  Yer makin’ me all stupid, Blondie.”

 

Cloud laughed at that.  He’d never seen Reno this deep in the drink before.  The redhead was a lot of things—sexy and dangerous being the most prominent—but until now, Cloud had never thought he could be _cute_.  It was a side of him he’d never even imagined existed and it made him feel a dangerous little ache in his chest.

 

“Reno,” Cloud sighed, kissing and sucking on his neck again.  The other man was stroking his back with one hand and rubbing his thigh with the other, docile and compliant for once.  Cloud slowly dragged his hand down until it was at the waistline of the Turk’s slacks.  In lieu of working the button and zipper open right away, he slid his palm over the crotch and started to rub the other man’s package gently. 

 

Reno’s response to the massage was to turn his head and slide one hand under Cloud’s jaw to guide his mouth to his.  He gave the blonde one of those teasing, seductive kisses of his, flicking his tongue over his lips and darting it in coaxingly.  The redhead’s breath was quickening and a soft moan escaped his lips.  He flexed his pelvis encouragingly, rubbing his hardening bulge against Cloud’s caressing hand. 

 

Cloud half-expected Reno to start falling into his usual aggressive habits as he massaged him to full arousal, but the Turk was either too drunk to pull his thoughts together or he was consciously allowing him to take the lead.  The blonde rather doubted it was the latter of the two but he was thankful for the chance to take his time, whatever the reason might be.  He slid his tongue into Reno’s mouth and caressed the warm, moist recesses.  He squeezed the other man’s stiffened crotch lightly and rubbed a little harder, eliciting a groan from him. 

 

Finally, he couldn’t resist any longer and Cloud popped the button on Reno’s trousers and tugged the zipper down.  He loved the Turk’s habit of going commando; it made it easier to ease his erection out and stroke the naked length.  Reno murmured his name against his lips and kissed him with greater passion, his breath growing heavier with each moment.  Cloud broke the kiss and returned his attention to the redhead’s neck while he stroked him off.  There was something irresistibly attractive about the smooth skin of his throat and Cloud normally wasn’t much of a neck person.  He murmured soothingly against the skin when Reno began to get restless, calming him and coaxing him to relax. 

 

“Told you I’d give you a hand job,” Cloud whispered.

 

“Yo, I forgot,” gasped the redhead throatily.  “Feels so good, baby.  I’m getting close.”

 

Cloud captured his lips in a heated kiss and stroked harder and faster.  The hand that Reno had resting on his thigh clutched at the material of his pants and the redhead’s hips rocked with eager pleasure.  Cloud brushed his thumb over the flushed, heart-shaped tip and slicked the moisture dribbling out over the velvety flesh.  Reno’s swift gasp rewarded him and he did it again. 

 

“Come for me,” Cloud insisted in a husky voice.  He thrust his tongue into the other man’s mouth as Reno moaned long and loud.  He felt his cock tightening up and he increased the speed of his strokes again.  Reno’s lithe body began to tense and he clutched at the blonde’s thigh and shoulder desperately.  With a final, hoarse groan, he came.  Cloud smiled in satisfaction as he felt the organ pulsing in his hand.  Thankfully, Reno’s shirt was hanging wide open so the cum spurt on his naked chest, rather than on his clothes.  Cloud gentled his kiss and slowed his rhythm as the spasms eased up and stopped.  He pulled back to look at Reno’s flushed, sweaty face and he admired the expression of pleasure on it.

 

“You’ve got the most expressive face when you’re coming,” the blonde observed aloud.  “Makes a guy feel good.”  He kissed him briefly and eased him onto his back.  “I’ll go get a washcloth,” he murmured as Reno closed his eyes and caught his breath.  “Just relax.”

 

He got out of the bed and paused for a moment, admiring the sight of Reno lying there gasping, with his shirt hanging open and his cock exposed.  If his head weren’t buzzing so badly, Cloud would have liked to have sex with him.  He didn’t trust himself to perform well, however.  With a little sigh of regret, the blonde went into the bathroom and got a washcloth—which he moistened.  When he came back out, Reno was already sleeping peacefully.  He cleaned the redhead up and straightened his clothes before climbing into bed next to him and stretching out.  On impulse, Cloud laid his head on the Turk’s shoulder and threw an arm over his torso.  He fell asleep much faster than he’d expected to.

 

~*********************************************~

* * *

 

The morning light shone on Reno’s face and it woke him up.  He blinked and yawned, starting to stretch as he mentally reviewed what he could remember of the night before.  He felt weight against his shoulder and he looked down to see Cloud Strife cuddling him.  The blonde’s youthful features were relaxed in sleep, his shapely lips parted and his warm breath stirring Reno’s hair.  Funny, Cloud didn’t have any stubble to speak of.  Did the Mako enhancements kill off facial hair?  The Turk stared at him and remembered how the night had ended.  He smiled and stroked the soft, golden spikes of hair.  That warm feeling returned in his chest and Reno’s smile faded into a frown.

 

“Damn it, Blondie,” the redhead whispered.  He had to go…he couldn’t hang around and let his affection grow.  He checked his watch and tried to disengage from Cloud without waking him up.  He cursed again when the blonde stirred and blinked sleepy sapphire eyes at him.

 

“Hey,” Cloud said.

 

“Uh, hey,” answered Reno warily.

 

“You look sort of spooked,” the blonde observed with a smirk.  “What’s wrong, are you afraid if you stay for a while I could be more than a fuck to you?”

 

Reno’s eyebrows shot up.  _~The kid’s sharp.  Fuck, how do I get outta this one?~_

“Look, I’ve gotta go,” Reno murmured, swallowing.  “They’ve probably been trying to get in touch with me since yesterday and I’ve had my phone turned off.”  Well, that much was true, at least.  His superiors, coworkers and his partner were probably about ready to send out a search team for him.

 

“You don’t have to go yet,” Cloud insisted, his lips brushing against Reno’s cheek and ear.

 

Reno hardened shamefully in response and he cleared his throat.  “Yeah, I do.  Come on, baby, let me up.”  He closed his eyes and bit his lip as the blonde’s teeth closed over his earlobe and tugged at it.

 

“I want you,” Cloud said without concern.  His fingers were unbuttoning Reno’s shirt again with practiced ease.

 

“Fuck,” Reno groaned, turning his head and kissing the blonde on the mouth.

 

Cloud had a plan.  He put an arm around Reno’s waist and rolled onto his back, taking the other man with him.  “I want you like this,” he murmured, parting his thighs so that Reno’s hips settled between them.  His blue eyes were open and earnest and he nearly laughed at the stupefied bewilderment in the Turk’s face.

 

“You wanna bottom?” Reno asked with a visible gulp.

 

Cloud nodded and cupped the back of the Turk’s head, drawing his throat to his lips.  He kissed his neck and jaw, not caring about the fine stubble that brushed against his lips.  “Why not?” He murmured, “I don’t even like Rufus and I ended up doing it with him.  You don’t want to?”

 

Reno shuddered and instinctively rocked his hips against the blonde’s pelvis.  _~Okay, hot young blonde spread out under me, offering me his ass.  Shit…if Strife bottoms for me that’s gonna be the end.  He’s not a uke but he trusts me enough to…oh hell…baby, why’d you have to offer this to me?~_

“Reno?”  Cloud’s lips were still pressing soft kisses against his throat and his soft, questioning tone sounded vulnerable.  There was a time when Reno would have picked Strife as a uke, going by looks alone.  Now he was playing the part nicely and he was irresistible to the Turk.  The only man that Reno had ever topped before was Tseng and the thought of having Cloud like that made his groin ache with need.

 

“What the hell are ya doing to me, Blondie?”  Reno groaned, just before he gave Cloud a searing, hungry kiss. 

 

~*************************************~

* * *

 

A few moments later, their clothing was lying in a pile on the floor and Cloud’s legs were hooked over Reno’s shoulders.  The redhead positioned himself and hesitated, worried that he might not have taken enough time to relax his lover.  He always worried like that when he did the fucking, simply because it was such an uncommon role for him to take and he wasn’t used to it.

 

“Here I come, sexy,” Reno murmured as he stared into Cloud’s eyes.  “Don’t try to be a hero, yo.  If I hurt ya, tell me.”

 

“You won’t,” Cloud answered with confidence.  He cupped the redhead’s ass and urged him to move.  “Quit procrastinating.”

 

Reno chuckled and kissed him as he rocked forward.  His groan echoed Cloud’s as his swollen cock nudged past the tight ring of muscle.  “Shit, you’re tight,” he gasped as he eased in until he was buried to the hilt.  He held still for a couple of moments, panting softly as the blonde’s body adjusted to him.  “Cloud,” he sighed, kissing the blonde’s arching throat. 

 

Cloud stroked Reno’s long, bright hair and made himself relax, accepting the intrusion of the other man’s flesh.  He did his best to hide the discomfort he felt but evidently, Reno saw his expression before he could school it.  The Turk didn’t move for a while and he murmured to the blonde and planted soft kisses all over his throat and jaw.  The discomfort faded and he must have sensed it, because he slowly withdrew and thrust again.  His sea-green eyes studied Cloud as he started taking him, watching for any signs of pain.  His breath shivered with pleasure and he licked his lips as he slowly pumped within Cloud’s body.

 

Cloud shut his eyes and moaned softly as the rigid flesh brushed against his internal gland.  Reno was certainly different from Rufus.  Where the president had been demanding and firm with his thrusts, Reno was almost tender.  Cloud hadn’t really expected that from the energetic redhead.  He’d expected Reno to start fucking him hard and fast as soon as he adjusted.  Rather than being disappointing, the slow, gentle rhythm was heavenly and the intimate way the Turk looked into his eyes made Cloud’s breath catch.  He felt the pressure building already and he knew it wouldn’t be long before Reno’s thrusts brought him to climax.

 

Reno fell into it once he knew for certain that he wasn’t hurting his companion.  He whispered the blonde’s name shakenly and started up a slow, deep rhythm.  Cloud was stroking his hair with one hand and squeezing his ass with the other.  The blonde’s breath caught softly with each thrust and his fair features began to flush with pleasure.  Reno smiled proudly as he felt the other man’s cock twitch against his belly.  If he played his cards right he’d have Cloud coming soon, without even having to touch him.  Clearly, the fighter got the greatest pleasure from a slow fuck…which suited Reno just fine because he knew he wouldn’t be able to last if he did it any harder or faster.

 

“Reno,” Cloud moaned when the redhead pushed in at the perfect angle.

 

Reno pumped a little harder, excited by the sound of his name on Cloud’s lips.  “Do that again, baby,” he panted, kissing the blonde’s tensing jaw.  Cloud obliged him and Reno gritted his teeth and fought his approaching orgasm with everything he had.  “Fuck…oh baby…come for me,” Reno begged breathlessly, “come on, Cloud…give it to me.”

 

“Oh god,” Cloud panted, tossing his head as the gentle thrusts of Reno’s dick made the tight heat in his belly coil and lash out.  He trembled and held the other man tightly as he came, pressing his sweating face against Reno’s smooth chest.

 

Reno closed his eyes and smiled as he felt Cloud’s rigid cock pulse against his abdomen.  The feel of the warm, wet seed splattering against his skin undid the redhead and he moaned long and loud.  He shot his load inside of Cloud and clenched his jaw.  It felt so amazing, he wondered if he might black out.  “Mmm, Cloud,” he purred when it finished.  “Coming inside you was like a little slice of fucking heaven, yo.  I can’t believe you let me do that.”

 

Instead of verbally responding, Cloud tangled his fingers into Reno’s hair and kissed him deeply.  The Turk returned the kiss, lazily tracing patterns inside of Cloud’s mouth with his tongue before coaxing the blonde to take over.  They traded dominance easily for a while, their tongues exploring one another’s mouths with sensual ease.  Reno looked at his watch again and groaned.  He really did have to get a move on and get back to his chopper.  He was going to be in for it as it was. 

 

“Cloud, baby…I’ve really got to go,” Reno murmured.  “I don’t wanna…especially now, but I’ve gotta check in with work before they send out the search parties, ya know?”  He could hardly believe that he’d said he didn’t want to go out loud—and meant it.  He really _didn’t_ want to go.  He was too far gone in this relationship to use an early retreat as a means to keep Strife out of his heart.  Cloud giving himself to him like that cinched it and Reno knew he was doomed.

 

Cloud sighed and removed his arms from around the redhead.  “Yeah, yeah.  I guess I should get going too.  My shit’s not going to deliver itself, anyhow.”

 

“Don’t be pissed, yo,” Reno murmured with a lingering kiss.  “If I didn’t have work to do I’d stay.  Tseng’s probably gonna kick my ass for not checking in as it is.”

 

Cloud shrugged, understanding even as he was resentful.  Acting like a spoiled brat wasn’t going to solve anything.  “Give me a call later, so I’ll know they didn’t shoot you.”

 

Reno laughed softly.  “It’d take more than disappearing for a day to get me shot, but I’ll let you know how it goes, man.  How about we take a shower together before I motor, yo?”

 

Cloud certainly had no objections to that.  The shower lasted longer than it should have because they spent more time making out than bathing, but eventually both men got cleaned up and Reno shaved before going.  They shared a deep kiss before parting ways and Cloud reminded the redhead to let him know how things went, later on.

 

~********************************************~

* * *

 

“Reno, where have you been?”  Rufus’s voice betrayed a hint of relief, even as it was stiff with anger.

 

“I’ve been in Edge, boss.  I know I should have checked in but I got pretty wasted last night, yo.”  Reno grimaced, knowing that Rufus wouldn’t accept that as an excuse.  He started flipping switches on the control panel, getting the chopper ready for take-off. 

 

“Let me guess,” Rufus said sourly, “You were with Strife all night.”

 

“Um…yeah,” Reno answered.  “I felt bad for leaving the guy hobbled in the mountain like that and I wanted to see if he got in touch with Reeve.  We ended up doing a bunch of shots and one thing led to another, yo.”

 

Rufus sighed.  “The next time you decide on an overnight excursion on a whim, I expect you to leave a message.”

 

Reno grinned.  “Were ya gonna send out the search party?”

 

“I was getting close to it, yes,” admitted the president dryly.  “I trust you’re on your way back, now?”

 

“Yes Sir.  I’m just about to start her up now and I’ll be in Junon before ya know it.”

 

“Belay that,” Rufus ordered.  “I’ve got an assignment for you and I need you on it right away.  Something’s happening in Corel that the company needs to investigate.  Tseng and Rude are already on site waiting for you, and Reeve has a team of scientists there with him.”

 

Reno frowned.  “What’s going on?”

 

“High levels of Mako,” answered Rufus.  “There are concerns that it could lead to an eruption.  We’re trying to keep it quiet, but there are already news teams on site.  You and your fellow Turks are to help Reeve with his investigations and keep the media from interfering, understood?”

 

“You got it, boss.”  Reno thought it was a little odd to be fighting on the “good” side, even if the Turks would never truly be “good” themselves.  It was a little refreshing, actually.  Instead of doing things to harm the Planet, he was now helping to heal it. 

 

“Report back to me when you have some information.” Ordered the president.

 

~***********************************~

* * *

 

“Yo Reeve, what’s up?” Reno found the engineer using some sort of device that looked like a metal detector, while his team took soil samples around the coal-mining town.  Tseng and Rude spotted the redhead and they made their way over to him.

 

“I’m not exactly sure, yet,” the older man said with a frown of concentration.  “We think the plates shifted and a stream of natural Mako made its way here, under the ground.  It may not be anything to worry about but there’s a chance it could break through the crust.”

 

“What’ll happen if it does that?” Reno wanted to know.  He slapped Rude’s hand as the bald man came up beside him, grinning up at his partner in greeting.

 

“If it breaks through, the town will need to be evacuated until the WRO can get things under control.  Otherwise we risk a contamination epidemic.”  Reeve didn’t seem to like the numbers he was getting as he scanned the earth.

 

“I noticed a crack in the ground just outside of town,” Tseng said.  “Perhaps it bears investigating?”

 

“Show me,” Reeve ordered as he turned off his device.

 

Tseng led the engineer and his fellow Turks out of town and to the spot he’d found.  Reno glanced up and saw news station choppers circling the town.  So far none of the reporters were on the ground bothering anyone, but that could change fast.  He wondered how far he was allowed to go in order to keep them out of the way.

 

“Here it is,” Tseng said after a few moments.  He gestured to a crack in the ground.  From within its depths, Reno could make out an eerie, green glow. 

 

“There’s Mako under there, all right,” Reeve sighed as he knelt down and got a reading.  “It isn’t far from the surface, either.   We’re definitely going to have to evacuate Corel.”

 

While Reeve and Tseng talked and made plans, Reno walked a few feet away with Rude.  “This outta be a fun day,” the redhead remarked without enthusiasm. 

 

“The sooner we get it over with, the sooner we can go home,” Rude answered with a shrug.  “Want to go out for some beers after work?”

 

“Hell yeah,” Reno agreed.  He hadn’t spent enough time with his partner outside of work lately and he was starting to miss him.  He was about to suggest that the bald man stay overnight at his apartment, when a cracking, rending sound reached Reno’s ears.  The redhead looked down with a frown.  The ground was splitting around he and Rude.  He looked up at his frowning partner before scanning the area and formulating a course of action.  They only had minutes to act and they weren’t likely to move fast enough.

 

Reno did the only thing his devotion to his partner would allow him to do.  He shouted a warning and shoved Rude away, as hard as he could.  The bigger man stumbled over the cracking ground and looked back at Reno with alarm.  The redhead looked down at his feet just as the ground crumbled away and he began to fall into the viscous green liquid underneath.

 

“Oh, shi—”  Reno didn’t get to finish the sentence before he was swallowed up.

 

“RENO!”  Rude hollered, showing more emotion than he’d ever shown before.  He lunged for the hole where his partner had vanished and he was hardly aware that both Tseng and Reeve had charged over to him and were holding him back.

 

“That’s pure Mako,” Reeve grunted, “You can’t go in after him!”

 

“Let go of me, man,” Rude snarled, powerful muscles straining as he fought to dive in after his lover and partner.

 

“Rude, let the WRO use their machinery to get him out,” Tseng tried to reason.  “You’ll be no help to Reno if you get pulled under too!”

 

Rude kept struggling and Reeve grabbed his cellphone and dialed for help.  “Get a team over here with a grappler, immediately!” He ordered, “We’ve got a man trapped in the Mako stream!”

 

Seeing that Rude wasn’t going to stop struggling, Tseng had little choice.  “Forgive me for this,” the Wutaian said as he pressed firmly against a cluster of nerves at the back of Rude’s skull.  The action made him lose consciousness and he sagged in the arms of the two men.  Tseng shared a worried look with Reeve and waited tensely for the science team to bring the machinery to fish Reno out.  The problem was, the Mako was flowing beneath the surface and it had likely already carried the redhead out of their reach.

 

~****************************************~

* * *

 

“This is Rufus Shinra.”  The president answered the phone and twirled a pen in his hand with bored disinterest.

 

“Sir,” answered Tseng’s voice.  It was unusually tense and Rufus frowned and sat up straighter.  “I have some…unfortunate news.  We’ve lost Reno.”

 

Rufus’s heart slammed in his ribcage and he carefully controlled his voice as he responded.  “What do you mean, you’ve ‘lost’ him?”

 

Tseng swallowed before answering.  “The ground broke apart under his feet and he shoved Rude out of the way just before it collapsed.  He fell into the Mako stream under the surface and so far, the WRO hasn’t been able to get him out.  Reeve believes he’ll resurface somewhere else, eventually, but we can’t know where or when.  The WRO is trying to track the stream and find another place where it surfaces.”

 

Rufus’s gray eyes were wide and stunned.  “I want him found,” he said through stiff lips, “I want him found and given medical attention immediately, is that clear?”

 

 “Yes, Sir.  We’ll do everything humanely possible to retrieve him.”  Tseng’s tone suggested that he didn’t really believe they would succeed.  “Sir, I think you should prepare yourself.  If we find Reno, he’ll have already been exposed to levels of Mako that most humans couldn’t endure—even more than the average member of SOLDIER.  Most victims of Mako poisoning—” 

 

“I don’t want to hear it,” Rufus said coldly.  “No matter what condition he’s in when he’s found, he’ll get the best of care.  Just concentrate on bringing him home, Tseng.”

 

“As you wish, Sir.”

 

~*******************************************~

* * *

 

“Whoa, look at that!” 

 

Cloud turned at the sound of Denzel’s excited exclamation and he looked at the television.  The screen showed a live broadcast of Corel—which was Barrett’s hometown.  The reporter talked about a Mako stream that was under the surface and plans to evacuate.  Just as she started to go into details, one of the cameramen shouted an exclamation and the picture zoomed in on the ground below.

 

Cloud recognized Reno, Rude, Tseng and Reeve and it took a moment for him to register what happened next.  The redheaded Turk shoved Rude hard, making him stumble a few feet.  Then the ground collapsed under Reno and he fell into the flowing Mako beneath.  Cloud’s jaw dropped and he couldn’t believe what he’d just seen.  The reporter was hollering with excitement, commenting on what they’d just witnessed. 

 

“No,” Cloud muttered, shaking his head.  He couldn’t tear his eyes off of the screen and he watched Rude struggle in the arms of Tseng and Reeve.  He could completely identify with the bald man, for if he had been there he’d have done the exact same thing and tried to dive in after Reno.  “This isn’t happening.”

 

Denzel looked worried.  “You know that guy that went down?”

 

“Yeah,” Cloud said sluggishly.  “I know him.”

 

He watched silently as the WRO brought machinery to the hole in the ground and attempted to locate and drag the fallen Turk out.  The reporter said that the chances of finding him were very slim and if he was lucky, he’d die fast.

 

Cloud’s chest hurt and his hands clenched into fists as he watched the efforts on the news.  His cellphone rang and he didn’t immediately reach for it, convinced that if he kept watching, he could _will_ the rescue workers to find Reno.  He slowly reached for the phone, without taking his desperate eyes off of the screen.

 

“Strife delivery service,” he answered mechanically.

 

“Cloud?  It’s Tseng.  We’ve had an incident and I thought you should know, since you’ve been involved with Reno lately.”  The Wutaian’s voice was strained but steady.

 

“I know,” murmured Cloud, “I’m watching it on TV now.  What the fuck was he doing there?”

 

“His job,” answered Tseng calmly.  “Like the rest of us.  We were sent to keep the reporters from interfering with the WRO’s work.”

 

“So what happens now?” Cloud asked.

 

Tseng sighed.  “We keep searching for him, until there’s no hope left.  If you have any belief in a higher power, I suggest you pray to it, as will I.”

 

“Got it,” Cloud said stiffly.  “Call me if you find anything…anything at all.”

 

He hung up the phone and sat down heavily on the couch.  Denzel stared at him with concern as he put his head in his hands and Marlene came into the room and hurried over to him when she saw the way he was sitting.

 

“Cloud?” The little girl inquired as she put a hand on his knee.  “Does your head hurt?”

 

“No,” whispered the blonde.  His head was fine…it was his heart that pained him.

 

~*****************************************~

* * *

 

-To be continued 


	4. Chapter 4

“Guardian”

Chapter 4

~*******************************************~

* * *

*Disclaimer:  The world that this story is set in and all characters therein belong to Square-Enix.  This fiction piece is strictly a non-profit exercise of creativity and entertainment for people (like me) who can’t get enough of this world and the characters.* 

~***********************************************~

* * *

 

They searched for weeks.  Rude became moody and withdrawn and Rufus was temperamental to the point where Elena was afraid to interact with him at all.  Tseng wasn’t intimidated by his blonde lover’s sour mood swings.  He understood that Rufus was grieving and he had no way to express his pain in a healthy manner.  He’d always been like that, thanks to his father and the burdens he began placing on his young shoulders at an early age.  Rufus had gone his whole life hiding his feelings behind a cold mask of indifference and the loss of Reno was tearing him up, even if he couldn’t say so out loud.

 

“You should get more rest,” Tseng suggested one evening when he noticed the dark circles under the president’s eyes.  “If we find Reno, you’ll be no help to him if you’re so deprived of sleep that you can’t function.  Let me help you, Koibito.”

 

“There’s too much to do,” Rufus answered stiffly.  He closed his eyes as Tseng moved around behind him and began to massage his shoulders.  “I can’t be idle right now.  I have to be ready for when…when they…” He frowned severely and blinked, unable to complete the sentence.  His throat hurt and he wondered if he was going to cry for the first time since childhood.  “They have to find him,” he finally murmured.  To even suggest that they wouldn’t would mean letting go, and he wasn’t willing to do that yet.

 

“But you must take care of yourself until they do,” reasoned the Wutaian.  “Please, Rufus.  Go home, drink some tea and rest.  I’ll come with you, if you don’t want to be alone.”

 

Rufus tried to scoff and ensure Tseng that he didn’t need a nursemaid, but the comfort he so desperately wanted to deny he needed was far too appealing to him.  He nodded slowly and laid a hand over one of the other man’s massaging ones. 

 

~*************************************~

* * *

 

A full month came and went since the accident.  Cloud was restless and there was nothing Tifa or the children could do to make him feel better.  Finally, one night after he’d tucked Marlene into bed and lay down to try and sleep, he had a vision.

 

“That’s some frown you’re wearing, Cloud.”

 

He was in a field of flowers.  He turned to face Aerith and for once, he couldn’t give her the smile he normally did.  “I know,” he said.  “I’ve lost someone else that I was really starting to care about.  I guess I’m gonna spend a lot of time frowning again.”

 

She sighed.  “Not if you find him.”

 

“I can’t!”  He said desperately.  “I don’t even know where the hell to look!”  He winced and lowered his eyes.  “Sorry Aerith.  I didn’t mean to yell at you.  I’m just stressed out.”

 

“He’s being a dingy blonde again,” a masculine voice said from behind Cloud and to the left. 

 

This time Cloud managed a tiny smile.  “I’m not dingy, Zack.”

 

“Oh, really?”  Zack crossed his arms over his chest and smirked with easy, friendly humor at him.  “Then why aren’t you using your head?”

 

Cloud gave him an annoyed look.  “I _am_ using my head!  There’s nothing I can do for Reno now.”

 

“You wanna find him, don’tcha?”  The lavender eyes were sympathetic on him.

 

“I’d love to, but there’s no telling where he’ll drift to or if he’ll even resurface,” Cloud said stubbornly.

 

“Well, where did you end up when you fell into a Mako stream?” Aerith persisted.

 

Cloud froze, his mind casting back to that day when Tifa found him and helped him snap out of his catatonic state.  “Mideel,” he whispered with a dawning expression of hope on his face.  “Or rather, Healin now.”

 

“Yup,” Zack nodded.  “That’s where I’d probably look if I was trying to find someone that got dunked in the Mako stream.”

 

Cloud’s heart rate picked up as the possibility of finding Reno seemed less unlikely than before.  “It’s not a guarantee,” he muttered, but that flare of hope still remained.

 

“Maybe not, but I don’t think I would stand around and wait,” Aerith suggested gently.  “What could you lose if you looked, Cloud?”

 

“I think you’re right,” Cloud said, his depression lifting.  “Guys…thanks.”

 

“Get moving, kid.”  Zack patted him on the shoulder and the vision abruptly faded.  Cloud found himself alone in his room and he sat up with a gasp.  There was no time to lose…he had to go to Healin and search the surrounding wilderness where he’d emerged the last time he fell into a Mako stream.

 

~***************************************~

* * *

 

Cloud left a note with Tifa, explaining that he had some investigating to do.  He didn’t go into details because he knew she’d just worry that he was unnecessarily obsessing over Reno’s disappearance and she’d lecture him about hurting himself.  He traveled all through the day, taking the ferry from the mainland shore to the island where Healin was.  He rented a room at the inn and began searching as soon as he had something to eat. 

 

“Come on, Reno…where are you?” Cloud drove his bike through the wilderness and searched with sharp eyes for openings in the earth that would give access to the Mako stream.  His phone rang a few times while he was searching but he never picked up.  By the time the sun was setting, he hadn’t had any luck and he was forced to stop searching for the night. 

 

He went back to his hotel room and watched the nightly news without really seeing it.  His mind was utterly on Reno and his determination to find him didn’t waver.  He mentally reviewed the layout of the island and tried to remember where Tifa said they’d found him when he washed up by Mideel.  Deciding he should probably ask around in the morning, he sighed and lay down, trying to force himself to sleep. 

 

When he finally drifted off, his dreams were filled with visions of Reno and the way the redhead had looked at him as he made love to him. 

 

~********************************~

* * *

 

Cloud called Tifa in the morning and told her that he was fine and he’d call her when he was coming home.  He couldn’t give her a time range but he assured her that he was safe and everything would be fine.  He wished he believed that himself as he hung up with her.

 

 _~Everything’s NOT going to be fine,~_ thought the blonde as he cleaned up, changed his clothes and stopped in at the diner for breakfast.  _~Nothing’s going to be fine until I’ve got him safely with me.~_

When Cloud finished having breakfast, he stopped in at the hospital and asked the nurses if they remembered him.  One of them recognized him—she’d been helping the doctor care for him when he washed up a few years ago.  She brought him to the doctor that had taken care of him and he asked the man where he’d been found. 

 

“If memory serves, we found you near the forest’s edge, just before it gives way to the wasteland,” the doctor explained.  “You should find a Mako reservoir there…but why do you want to see it, if I may ask?”

 

“I’ve got a hunch that someone I know might surface there,” Cloud answered without hesitation.  “I don’t know if you saw the news broadcast but a guy fell into the Mako stream by Corel.  If he’s lucky, he might show up here like I did.”

 

“I see.  Wasn’t that one of the ShinRa company’s Turks that had the accident?”  When Cloud nodded, the doctor sighed.  “Well, you do know that even if he does resurface here, he’s undoubtedly going to have severe Mako poisoning?  Unfortunately, we still have yet to find a cure for it.”

 

Cloud nodded grimly.  “I know.  Even so, I’m going to take care of him if I find him.”

 

“Good luck with that, young man.  I do hope you’ll be careful.  The last thing you need is to fall in yourself again and wind up in another coma.” 

 

Cloud thanked him and left to continue his search.

 

~****************************************~

* * *

 

He cursed in frustration and swatted at another insect.  Cloud would have thought that the Mako running through his veins would make him less appealing to the mosquitoes, but the ones here on the island seemed, if anything, more attracted to him.  The shadows were growing long and he still hadn’t found the reservoir that the doctor had mentioned.  His stomach was growling and it felt like he had a ball of lead in it. 

 

“I’m not going to find him,” Cloud finally admitted to himself.  It hurt…more than he ever thought it would.  Reno was gone.  The fighter’s vision blurred with sudden tears and he held his breath to fight back the urge to sob.  “Fuck,” he groaned, pressing his hands against his eyes tightly.  “What am I doing to myself?”

 

He sniffed and blinked, trying to regain control over his emotions.  With a heavy sigh, he tugged his goggles down, started the engine up and turned Fenrir around.  He didn’t get far before he spotted a green glow out the corner of his eye and his heart leapt in his throat as he turned the bike toward it.  There was no mistaking the light of the Mako.  The vegetation hid the actual pool from his sight but he kept his eyes on the soft light shining against the trunks of surrounding trees and he came upon it within moments.

 

“Oh, Shiva,” Cloud gasped as he made it through the vegetation and spotted a body lying in the grass.  There was no mistaking Reno’s vivid red hair.  His legs were still dangling in the pool and to Cloud’s feverish eyes, he appeared to be breathing deeply and steadily.  The fighter pulled his bike to a halt and got off, charging for the limp figure lying several feet away.  He went to his knees beside Reno and he pulled him into his arms and away from the pool.

 

“Reno,” Cloud murmured, stroking the Turk’s soaked bangs away from his pale face.  Reno twitched spasmodically but he didn’t answer or give any sign that he’d heard him.  Cloud hugged him tightly to his chest before he even realized he was doing it, rocking him in his arms.  “I’ve got you,” he murmured past the ache in his throat.  “Keep fighting it, man.  I’m taking you home with me, okay?”

 

He didn’t expect an answer from the catatonic Turk, but it made him feel a little better to talk to him, all the same.  He lifted Reno into his arms and carried him to Fenrir, not caring that the stricken man’s Mako-soaked clothes were pressing against him.  With patience and care, Cloud got the Turk positioned in front of him on the bike.  He kept one arm tightly around Reno’s waist as he steered the bike one-handed.  Twice he had to stop on the way back to town, when Reno started to slip.  He made it back and he carried the redhead into the clinic, yelling for a doctor.  The same man that had treated Cloud when he had Mako poisoning set up a room for Reno and had him cleaned up and put in a gown.

 

“I must admit, I’m frankly surprised that you found him,” the doctor said as he checked Reno’s vitals.  Cloud stood anxiously by the bed and watched.  “It’s as I feared, Mr. Strife.  Your friend has an advanced case of Mako poisoning.  I don’t expect him to ever wake up from this, but you proved me wrong about that when I gave you the same diagnosis, so there’s always hope.”

 

“I want to take him home with me,” Cloud said.

 

The doctor frowned at him.  “I’m not sure that’s a wise choice,” he argued, “He’ll require extensive care now, and that’s an awful lot for one person to take on alone.  I’ve had his company informed that he’s here and I’m sure that they’ll—”

 

“You called them?” Cloud barked, alarmed.  He didn’t trust ShinRa to take care of Reno.  He pictured them using all sorts of experimental, unsafe treatments on the redhead and his jaw clenched.  “You shouldn’t have done that.  All they’ll do is make him worse!”

 

“Young man,” sighed the doctor, “I’m not foolish enough to go up against Rufus Shinra and if anything, you should be grateful that the man has the money to give your friend the best treatment possible.  If you want this man to have a fighting chance, you’ll put your personal feelings aside and let his employer put him in specialized care.”

 

Cloud shook his head stubbornly, his blue gaze dropping to Reno’s handsome, drawn features.  “I can’t trust them.  Not yet.  I need to _know_ he’s safe, not being experimented on in some lab.”

 

“Son, I can’t let you leave with him.” The doctor insisted.

 

Cloud suddenly drew his sword in a swift motion and he held the end of it against the doctor’s throat.  The doctor held his hands up defensively and swallowed as the blonde growled, “Try and stop me.  I mean it, doc.  I’m taking him the hell out of here before ShinRa arrives.  If Rufus wants to talk to me himself, he knows where I live.”

 

~***************************************~

* * *

 

Cloud didn’t have much time.  He brought Reno to his Inn room and packed his backpack hastily.  He knew that ShinRa employees would arrive very soon to collect the stricken Turk.  He called Tifa and told her briefly what had happened.

 

“I’m bringing him home with me,” he said firmly. 

 

“Cloud, do you really think you can take care of him?”  Tifa questioned carefully.  “You know I’ll help you, but shouldn’t he have professional medical care instead?”

 

“There isn’t a damn thing they can do for him, and I’ve been where he is now.  He’s better off without people poking and prodding him.”  Cloud hurried out to Fenrir while he spoke, loading his backpack into one of the storage compartments.  “You know ShinRa can’t be trusted, Tifa.”

 

“Ordinarily I’d agree with you,” she answered, “but Cloud…Reno is one of them.  I really don’t think they’d do anything to make it worse on purpose.”

 

“Yeah, but their good intentions always get someone hurt,” Cloud snapped.  “I’m bringing him home with me and that’s final.”

 

“Okay,” she sighed passively, “If that’s what you think you need to do, I can’t stop you.  Just try to be careful, Cloud.  Think of the kids.  I don’t want trouble from the Turks, okay?”

 

“If there’s gonna be any trouble, they’ll take it up with me,” Cloud insisted.  “I’ll see you tonight, Tifa.”

 

He ended the call and rushed back into the Inn to get Reno.  He’d just gotten out the door and was carrying the other man to his bike when he heard the helicopter overhead.  Cloud stubbornly kept going, pulling Reno onto the bike with him so that he was in front of him.  He put an arm around the unconscious man and winced when Reno briefly convulsed, nearly making him lose his hold on him. 

 

“Hang in there, Reno,” Cloud murmured as he shifted the redhead and started up the bike.  He began to drive out of town but the chopper touched down in front of him.  Cloud stopped his bike and reached for his sword as the doors opened and Rufus Shinra himself climbed out, followed by Tseng and Elena.

 

“Just where do you think you’re taking him, Strife?” the president asked with dangerous calm.  His gray eyes studied Reno and Cloud could see the anxiety flashing in them.

 

“I’m taking him home with me,” answered Cloud firmly.  Reno’s head flopped back against his shoulder and he impulsively nuzzled his hair.  “There’s nothing the doctors can do for him and I’m not leaving him vulnerable.”

 

“Vulnerable to what, exactly?”  Rufus narrowed his eyes on him.

 

“To your company’s twisted experiments,” snapped the blonde angrily. 

 

“If you think for one moment that I would allow anyone to harm him, you’re sadly mistaken,” Rufus announced.  He impulsively drew his gun and took aim at Cloud, the coldness in his eyes fading before uncommon fury.  Cloud drew his sword with lightning speed, holding it steady over Rufus’s heart.  Elena drew her gun as well, looking from her boss to Cloud with anxious confusion and Tseng did the same.

 

Cloud had never seen Rufus Shinra angry before, but the tense set of his jaw and the flash of his eyes proved that the man was just as capable of feeling strong emotions as anyone else.  Nobody moved and a silent battle of wills took place.  Finally Cloud looked down at Reno, then up at Rufus again. 

 

“I’m trying to help him, man,” the blonde murmured, “can’t you see that?  I know what he’s going through.  I know how to take care of him.  If you really feel anything at all for him, you’ll let me do it.”

 

Rufus wavered, his eyes focusing on Reno’s pale features.  The Turk’s blood-red hair straggled over his chest and his ginger lashes fluttered as he struggled against the poison in his system.  A brief sound of distress passed Reno’s parted lips and he twitched in Cloud’s arms. 

 

“I’ll agree to your terms,” Rufus said softly, “on one condition.  You have to allow us to visit him and if my science team can come up with a treatment, you’ve got to agree to let us try it.”

 

“I’m not going to let you do anything that might make him worse,” Cloud insisted stubbornly.

 

“Damn it, Strife,” Rufus snapped, “No treatment will be given to him without proper testing first!  Believe what you like, but I would sooner leave him in a catatonic state than give him anything that would cause further harm.  Are you going to cooperate or shall we simply kill one another and leave Reno with nobody to care for him?”

 

Cloud began to lower his weapon and Rufus pressed: “How do you expect to carry him all that way on a motorcycle, in the first place?  Do you really think that even with your strength, you can keep him from falling off?  You can hardly hold onto him now as it is.”

 

Reno jerked again and Cloud swore softly and held him tighter against his chest.  His sapphire eyes lowered and he finally nodded.  “Fine.  Have you got room in that helicopter for my bike?  I’m not letting him out of my sight and I’m not leaving Fenrir behind.”

 

“There’s room in the cargo area,” Rufus assured him, putting his gun away.  “Now let’s stop this foolishness and get on board.”  The president stepped closer and reached out slowly to stroke Reno’s hair.  Cloud nearly shoved his hand away but seeing that he was only caressing Reno, he reigned in his protective urges.  The man was capable of love, after all.

 

~****************************************~ 

* * *

 

“How did you find him?” Tseng asked Cloud when they finished securing Fenrir in the cargo area and boarded the craft.

 

Cloud sat in the chair beside Reno and he checked once more to be certain that the redhead was strapped firmly in.  “I went to the spot where I washed up, the last time I fell into a Mako stream.  It was just a lucky guess.”

 

“I’m going to call Rude to let him know we’ve found him,” Elena said with excitement.  “He’ll be so relieved!”

 

Cloud wondered how Tifa was going to react to the Turks and Rufus coming and going from their house all the time.  There was no help for it though; he couldn’t very well refuse them the right to visit their comrade and it was the only way Rufus would have let him take him without a serious fight. 

 

“Now look,” Cloud said firmly, addressing all of them as Tseng started up the chopper, “I’m agreeing to let you guys come and visit him whenever you want, but I’ve got some kids in the house and I don’t want you giving them any bad ideas about career choices, got it?”

 

Rufus turned around in his chair and smirked at him.  “Such as?  Being successful, perhaps?  Owning one’s own company?  Do tell, Strife…what precisely is ‘bad’ about my career, or that of my employees?”

 

“Oh, I don’t know…how about murder, kidnapping, lies, nearly destroying the planet…stop me if I’m going too fast for you,” Cloud grumbled.

 

“Most of that is a thing of the past,” Rufus insisted, “and I can assure you that my Turks and I have no interest in discussing our work with orphan children.  You can relax.”  The president’s eyes went to Reno again and they softened ever so slightly.  “So long as he’s taken care of, you’ll get no trouble from us.”

 

~*******************************************~

* * *

 

Tifa already had one of the single beds in Cloud’s room ready by the time they arrived.  She watched Rufus and the Turks follow Cloud into the house warily, nervous about their presence but unable to voice her concerns without offending someone.  Cloud carried the stricken redhead up the stairs and laid him down in the bed next to his.  He covered him and smoothed his bangs out of his eyes before moving away and allowing Rufus and the others to have their visit with him.

 

“Why is he jerking like that?” Elena asked in a quivering voice.

 

“He’s fighting it,” answered Cloud softly.  “He’s trying to wake up and get control over his body again, that’s why he’s having the spasms.”

 

“Of course, he’s fighting it,” Rufus said with satisfaction as he stroked Reno’s cheek.  “I’d expect nothing less of him.”

 

Tseng stood on the other side of the bed and stared down at the redhead silently for a moment.  He reached up and pulled a silver chain out from under his shirt, which had a yen-yang pendant hanging from it.  He undid the clasp and bent over his injured comrade to put it around his neck.

 

“Keep this until you wake up, Kitsune.  May it help you balance the war inside of you.”  Unmindful of the audience, the Wutaian pressed a kiss to Reno’s forehead before straightening up and walking out of the room.

 

 Elena took his place and she took hold of one of Reno’s limp hands and squeezed it.  “I’ll come and visit as much as I can, Reno.  You just get better, okay?”  She sniffled and wiped her eyes before leaving.

 

Now Cloud and Rufus were the only ones remaining in the room.  The president stood silently over his lover and employee, staring at him as if memorizing his features.  “Rude will come and visit you tomorrow,” he whispered.  “Reno, I expect you to fight with everything you’ve got and make a full recovery.  I’m trusting Strife to help you do that.”  He glanced over his shoulder at Cloud briefly.  “Don’t disappoint me, Fox.”  He was too prideful to show his full affection in front of Cloud, so rather than give Reno a kiss he caressed his face once more.  He turned around and walked out of the room to join his Turks downstairs.

 

“You’re doing the right thing, Rufus,” Cloud said.

 

Rufus stopped at the threshold of the door and turned to look at him.  “I certainly hope so.  Don’t make me regret this agreement, Cloud.”

 

~*******************************************~

* * *

 

Just as Rufus said, Rude showed up the next day.  Cloud didn’t really mind when the bald man spent most of the day at his partner’s side, silently holding his hand and watching him.  Tifa felt very sorry for the bald man and she brought him a sandwich and a drink at noon.

 

“You should eat,” she informed him as she set the plate and drink on the nightstand.  “Don’t make yourself sick over this.”

 

Rude nodded and murmured his thanks as he reached for the plate.  “He’s laying there because of me,” the big man sighed.

 

Tifa tilted her head.  “What makes you say that?”

 

He shrugged and took a bite out of his sandwich.  “Because it’s true,” he explained after chewing and swallowing.  “He saw it coming and he pushed me out of the way.  If he wasn’t busy saving my ass, he might not have fallen in.”

 

“Look,” she said firmly, “Reno only did what anybody else would have done if their friend was in danger.  You would have done the same thing if the situation were reversed and it’s not your fault that he’s in this condition, okay?”

 

Logically, Rude knew that.  Emotionally however, he blamed himself and no amount of reasoning could lessen the guilt in his heart.  He worried that Reno would waste away to nothing.  “How’s he gonna eat?” he asked.

 

“Cloud bought a supply of baby food yesterday,” she answered with a little grimace.  “He’s been feeding it to him.  In fact, he’s probably on his way up from the kitchen now to give him lunch.”

 

Rude almost managed a smile.  “Red would have a fit if he knew he was being spoon-fed baby food every day.  So, he can actually eat?”

 

“It can get a little messy, but Cloud manages to get by.  Reno’s not really aware of what’s going on but he can still chew, swallow and drink.  He won’t starve to death.”  Tifa turned at the sound of the door opening.  “Right on time,” she said with false cheer.

 

“Hey,” Cloud said softly as he brought the spoon and the jar over to Reno’s bed.  “Want to help me prop him up?”

 

Rude nodded and Cloud sat down beside Reno.  Together, the bald man and the blonde got the redhead situated so that he was leaning back against Cloud’s chest.  The fighter put an arm around Reno to support him while he set the jar on the nightstand and spooned up a bit of baby food.  Rude watched as Cloud brushed his fingers over his partner’s lips, coaxing them apart.  The blonde brought the food to Reno’s mouth and murmured softly to him.  Rude swallowed a lump as Reno instinctively opened his mouth to accept the pureed food.

 

“Good,” Cloud encouraged as the redhead swallowed.  A little bit dribbled out and Cloud picked up the napkin he’d brought with him and dabbed it away.  “Here comes another bite, Reno.”

 

Rude suddenly stood up and ran a hand over his scalp.  “Sorry man, I can’t watch this.”  He left the room quickly and Tifa caught sight of a glistening tear trailing down his cheek before he was gone.

 

Cloud looked up as the Turk took his leave and he shared a frown with Tifa.  “And I thought he was so damned stoic,” he sighed.

 

~**********************************************~

* * *

 

Rude stayed for a couple more hours, returning to the bedroom when Cloud was finished feeding Reno.  Cloud and Tifa both refrained from saying anything to the bald man about his brief show of emotion, knowing it had to be killing him to see his once vibrant and active partner reduced to such a state.  He left a photo of Reno’s mother on the nightstand and said his respectful goodbyes to Cloud and Tifa, promising he’d be back later that week to visit him some more.

 

“We’ll call you if there are any changes,” Tifa promised him as she saw him to the door.

 

Marlene was staring up at her when the brunette turned around.  “Is the man upstairs getting any better?” she asked.

 

Tifa knelt in front of the little girl and shook her head.  “Not yet, sweetie.  We’re hoping he will in time, but it’s too soon to tell yet.”

 

“Can I go see him?” Marlene persisted.  

 

“Yeah, me too,” Denzel said.  He was curious about their guest and he’d never seen anyone with Mako poisoning before.

 

“Only for a little while,” Tifa agreed.  “And I want you both to be quiet, okay?”

 

“We will,” promised Marlene.  She took Denzel’s hand and together, they went up the stairs to Cloud’s bedroom.  The blonde was sitting in the chair beside Reno’s bed when they entered the room.  He was staring down at his patient with aching, thoughtful blue eyes.

 

“Cloud, can we come in?” Denzel tactfully inquired, grabbing Marlene by the shoulder to keep her from charging in unannounced.

 

“Sure,” Cloud said.  He forced a smile at them as they walked silently into the room and looked at Reno curiously.

 

Marlene jumped a little when the redheaded man’s body suddenly tensed and his back arched. 

 

“It’s okay,” Cloud soothed, “he does that every once in a while.  It’s just his body fighting the poisoning.”

 

 “Does it hurt?” Marlene asked softly.

 

Cloud considered the question for a moment.  “Yes,” he answered in a pained whisper.  He reached out and stroked Reno’s hair again.  “But he’s not really aware of it.  When I had Mako poisoning, the pain was sort of a distant memory, by the time I woke up.  I might talk to a doctor tomorrow about getting some pain medicine for him.”

 

“Do you think he’ll ever wake up?” Denzel inquired.

 

“There’s no way to know for sure,” Cloud answered with a frown.  “I hope so, but all we can do is wait and see.”

 

Marlene reached out and patted Reno’s limp hand.  “I hope he gets better soon.”

 

Cloud forced a smile.  “I hope so too.  Maybe with us watching over him, his chances are better.”

 

~***************************************~

* * *

 

The next challenge that Cloud faced was bathing Reno.  Obviously he couldn’t expect Tifa to do it, so he ended up bathing with the redhead.  He undressed him and carefully picked him up, situating him so that he was reclined between Cloud’s legs with his back resting against the blonde’s chest.  Cloud talked to him as he bathed him, trying to encourage awareness and ease his mind at the same time.  He kept his touch as platonic as possible, getting a sour taste in his mouth at the thought of taking advantage of him.  The hair was the hardest part to wash but he managed to get it done without getting any soap in Reno’s eyes or mouth. 

 

Cloud dressed the Turk in a pair of sweat pants after bathing him, figuring that the Reno would prefer it to an open-backed hospital gown.  He eased the redhead into bed and tucked him in.  He didn’t want to leave him alone but Cloud knew that as the caregiver, it was important for him to get out a little.  He went downstairs and Told Tifa he was going for a walk.

 

He only got half a block before the incessant concern for Reno nagged him to the point where he turned around and went back.  Tifa looked a little surprised when he returned so soon but she chose not to remark on it.  He hurried up the stairs to his room and found Reno sleeping where he’d left him. 

 

Cloud sighed and lay down in the bed next to the Turk, watching him silently for a minute.  “I can’t even leave you alone for a few minutes without worrying,” Cloud whispered.  “I never saw a day like this coming.”

 

~************************************~

* * *

 

-To be continued


	5. Chapter 5

“Guardian”

Chapter 5

~*******************************************~

* * *

*Disclaimer:  The world that this story is set in and all characters therein belong to Square-Enix.  This fiction piece is strictly a non-profit exercise of creativity and entertainment for people (like me) who can’t get enough of this world and the characters.* 

~***********************************************~

* * *

 

 

The Turks visited often, usually every two days each.  Rufus was so busy that he could only make it over on the weekends—which incidentally suited Cloud just fine.  He kept telling himself that he should try to get over the things Rufus had done in the past, because as much as he wanted to deny it, he was beginning to see a different side to the man.  He always brought a book with him and he’d read to Reno for hours.  He didn’t speak to Reno as if he were a sick person, either.  One day, three weeks after he found Reno in the forests of Healin, Cloud decided to try and see what Reno saw in Rufus.  The president had stayed the night and he was already up and reading a book to Reno when Cloud heated up the redhead’s breakfast and brought it to the room.

 

“Do you want to try feeding him?” Cloud offered when Rufus eyed the jar of baby food and the spoon he was carrying.  He expected Rufus to refuse, but the president nodded quietly and set his book aside to get into the bed with Reno.

 

“Like so?” Rufus inquired as he lifted Reno’s upper body and embraced him from behind to support him.

 

“Yeah, that’s right.  Here, I’ll put the jar on the nightstand.  He slops a little so you might have to use the napkin a few times.”  Cloud handed the spoon over and set the jar down.  He could have left Rufus and Reno alone but he was frankly curious to see how the sandy-blonde president would handle feeding the Turk.

 

Rufus scooped up a spoonful of the baby food and brought it to Reno’s lips, whispering for him to open his mouth.  He didn’t do it immediately and Rufus did something that Cloud never would have thought of: he kissed him on the lips.  Cloud’s shock over Rufus finally displaying affection in front of him was over-ridden by his shock that it worked.  Reno’s lips parted and Rufus slipped the spoon in.  Reno swallowed it and Rufus scooped up more baby food and fed it to him. 

 

This time, Reno spit it back out but Rufus patiently wiped his chin off and murmured: “That’s all right, Fox.  We’ll try again.”  He scooped up another spoonful and fed it to him carefully.  After a while, Rufus noticed the look Cloud was giving him and he paused in his task.  “Is there something on your mind, Cloud?”

 

“I think I’m starting to see it,” answered the golden-haired fighter with an odd little smirk.

 

Rufus frowned at him.  “Oh?  What are you starting to see?”

 

Cloud flushed, unwilling to answer.  It was subtle…much harder to spot in Rufus than in others, but it was there.  He was starting to see the man through Reno’s eyes and he could finally understand what drew the Turk to him.  Rufus was handsome, sexy, strong-willed, determined and authoritative.  What most people didn’t know was that he was also fiercely loyal to his people and he could be loving and patient when the situation demanded it.

 

Rufus fed Reno another spoonful.  “I’m waiting, Strife.  I’m interested to know what it is you’re talking about.”

 

“Maybe I’m starting to see a human being when I look at you,” Cloud finally murmured, flushing deeper.

 

“Ah, that,” Rufus said dryly, “Reno does tend to bring out the worst in me.” 

 

Cloud smiled a little in spite of himself.

 

~*******************************~

* * *

 

More time passed…several months, in fact.  Tifa kept Reno’s hair trimmed but the roots grew out and by the time summer came again, he was back to his natural auburn color except for the tips of his long hair.  Cloud liked his natural color but it made him seem less like the Reno he knew.  His facial hair never grew, either.  In many respects, he was now like Cloud; the Mako had altered his body but it was impossible to tell just how much until the day he woke up…if he ever did. 

 

He did daily exercises with Reno, helping to keep his muscles and tendons loose and stop them from deteriorating.  The Turk had lost some weight but it wasn’t excessive, thanks to Cloud and Tifa staying on top of keeping him well-fed and exercised.  Rude and Tseng were always easy to be around but Elena tended to get on his nerves and he still held a grudge against the president. With time, Cloud was able to get along with Rufus more than he thought possible.  One weekend Rufus surprised him by trying to give him a wad of money.

 

“What’s this for?” Cloud asked as he stared at the gil in Rufus’s hand.

 

“I’ve noticed that your business is suffering, since you’ve been taking care of Reno.  I’m offering you compensation to make up for the money you’ve lost.”  Rufus patiently held out the gil and waited.

 

“I don’t want your money,” Cloud stubbornly said.

 

“Look Cloud, I understand as much as the next man that you’ve got your pride,” reasoned the other blonde, “but your bills still need to be paid and there’s the additional cost of Reno’s medication and food.  Surely you don’t expect for Tifa to take up all of the slack?” 

 

Cloud narrowed his eyes.  Rufus made some good points but he didn’t want to be a charity case.  “I’ll take the money to pay for Reno’s needs,” he finally said with reluctance.

 

“Good enough,” Rufus nodded.  Their fingers brushed as he handed the gil over and for a moment, their eyes locked.  Rufus felt a swell of warmth and desire for the fighter, but he wasn’t foolish enough to act on it.  No matter how appealing the thought of seeking comfort in Strife’s arms was, Rufus wasn’t about to push for it. 

 

_~If Strife wants my comfort, he’ll come to me for it himself.  I’ve learned my lesson.~_

“Uh, thanks,” Cloud said softly, lowering his bright eyes in an endearing way. 

 

Rufus smiled subtly.  “You’re quite welcome.”

 

~****************************~

* * *

 

Later that week, Reno opened his eyes for the first time since he fell into the Mako stream.  Rufus was undressing him for his bath and the president froze when Reno’s ginger lashes fluttered open.  He was shocked senseless when the redhead’s eyes opened and stared blankly at the ceiling.  They were glowing a vivid color, with a darker blue band surrounding a vivid green…not the gentle sea green that Rufus was used to.

 

“Strife, get in here,” Rufus ordered as calmly as he could.  He brushed Reno’s bangs away from his eyes and stared at the shocking aqua color of his irises. 

 

Cloud hurried in from the hallway and he saw how pale Rufus was.  “What’s wrong?”

 

“His eyes,” Rufus murmured.  “They’re open.  He isn’t looking at me, but…why are they so bright?”

 

Cloud looked at Reno’s dilated eyes and he sighed.  “It’s the Mako.  He’s not really awake yet but this is a pretty good sign.”

 

“Will they stay that way?”  Rufus was genuinely concerned and his body was tense as he gazed down at the Turk.

 

“Maybe not,” Cloud answered uncertainly.  “The Mako glow stays with Soldiers because they’re infused over time until it’s part of them.  Reno was exposed to high amounts but this was natural Mako, not concentrated shit pumped into him.  Plus, he wasn’t exposed to it over a period of months like Soldiers are.  The glow might fade or it might stay with him for the rest of his life.”

 

Rufus closed his eyes.  “Will he go blind from it?”

 

“No,” Cloud answered, “at least, I’m pretty sure he won’t.  I’ve never heard of Mako poisoning making anyone lose their sight.”  Reno’s eyes closed again and the redhead’s body strained in one of his spasms, prompting Cloud to comb his fingers through his hair and whisper soothingly to him.  He looked up at Rufus again to see that the other blonde had his hands clenched into fists.

 

“Hey, maybe we should take a time out and have a couple of beers,” he suggested.  He wasn’t about to insult the man by saying it out loud but Rufus looked like hell.  He’d never seen the guy so stressed and any doubts he might have had concerning the president’s feelings for Reno were laid to rest.

 

“He needs his bath,” Rufus murmured softly, his gray eyes going to Reno.

 

“He can get it later,” Cloud insisted.  “He’s not going to mind and we need to take a break now and then.”

 

Rufus sighed and nodded slowly.

 

~******************************************~

* * *

 

“So, how did you and Reno meet anyway?”  Cloud handed a beer to Rufus and sat down beside him on the couch.  The kids were out visiting friends for the day and Tifa was at the bar, so they were alone in the house with Reno.

 

Rufus recalled the first time he’d seen Reno and he smirked.  “He used to own a mechanic shop in the slums of Midgar.  Would you believe I broke down a few blocks away from it one day, while surveying that part of town for reconstruction plans?”

 

Having seen his share of strange and ironic things in his life, Cloud nodded and sipped his beer.  “So you went to his shop for help?”

 

“Yes—or rather, he saw me broken down and he ran over to me and offered to have a look at my car.  I remember looking up and seeing this gorgeous creature jogging across the street toward me, with his shirt hanging open.  Needless to say, it made a lasting impression.”

 

Cloud smirked, easily imagining the sight of Reno running around with his shirt hanging open.  “I’ll bet it did.  So did you offer him a job in your company right away or what?”

 

“No, he joined the Turks later,” answered Rufus after taking a couple of swallows of beer.  “I wasn’t certain at first that he was suited to the job, so I merely kept in touch with him at first and watched over him.”

 

“’Watched over him’, eh?” Cloud rolled his eyes.  “You mean you spied on him.”

 

“Call it what you will,” Rufus said without concern.  “I was immediately charmed by him and I assured myself that he wasn’t in any sort of trouble.  I admitted as much to him, in fact.  He didn’t mind.”

 

No, Reno probably wouldn’t have minded.  The redhead was a strange person and things that would piss off other guys hardly fazed him.  “So what made you decide he was Turk material?”

 

Rufus laughed suddenly.  He covered his mouth when the unexpected laugh made him choke a little on his beer.  “Ah, pardon me.  That’s one memory I never grow tired of.  Tseng and I recruited him into the Turks after he stole one of the company helicopters.”

 

Cloud blinked and grinned.  “Seriously?  Did he know it was ShinRa property?”

 

“No,” Rufus chuckled, “and I’ll never forget the look on his face when he found out.  He thought I was going to have him locked up for life, but I offered him a job instead.  He’s been a Turk ever since.”

 

Cloud couldn’t contain his laugh.  Leave it to Reno to get caught steeling something and end up getting hired instead of thrown in jail over it.  “He’s got the strangest luck of anyone I’ve ever met,” the blonde fighter said, shaking his head.  He finished his beer and got up to get another one.  “Are you ready for another?”

 

Rufus looked at his half-finished beer with an ironic expression.  “I’m afraid I don’t drink as quickly as you, but thank you.”

 

“Maybe you should drink a little faster,” Cloud suggested.  “You might sleep better tonight with a few under your belt.”

 

“So you want me drunk, is that it?”  Rufus was smiling crookedly at him and Cloud paused, admiring the sexy smirk without meaning to.

 

“Maybe just a little buzzed,” the fighter said evasively.  He didn’t want to get too comfortable around Rufus Shinra.  The lumpy couch wasn’t the most comfortable bed in the world and Cloud knew that the president didn’t sleep well on the weekends he spent visiting Reno. 

 

“I’ll try to drink a bit faster,” Rufus promised, “though I can’t guarantee I’ll polish them off as quickly as you do.”

 

~************************************~

* * *

 

Cloud gave Reno his bath after having another couple of beers with Rufus.  They often took turns with the task when Rufus or any of the male Turks visited, which Cloud oddly didn’t mind.  He couldn’t understand why he wasn’t jealous.  He remembered Reno saying that he and Rufus had more in common than Cloud thought and he remembered how offended he’d been by the statement.  Now he wondered if there might be a grain of truth to it, because Rufus tolerated him as much as he tolerated Rufus. 

 

As Cloud sank into the tub with Reno, he nuzzled the redhead’s neck and kissed it briefly.  “Your boss is growing on me,” he murmured.  “I know that would make you happy but I’m not sure it’s a good thing.” 

 

Reno didn’t answer, of course.  He lay back against Cloud bonelessly, except for when a spasm shook him.  His head turned to the side and his mouth pressed against Cloud’s neck as the blonde shifted him in his arms.  Cloud felt his companion’s breath against his throat and he impulsively cupped his chin and planted a soft kiss on his lips.  It was all that he allowed himself to enjoy, knowing that any more than that would tempt him into doing something inappropriate.

 

First, Cloud grabbed the large cup he kept on the side of the tub and he rinsed the Turk’s auburn hair out.  He shampooed it next, rinsed it and conditioned it, taking care to work the creamy rinse through the hair from root to tip.  He loved Reno’s hair and he took care to keep it healthy.  He kissed the redhead again as he started to soap down his body and Cloud went still when Reno responded to the kiss.

 

“Reno?” he murmured against the silken lips.  The Turk didn’t answer verbally.  His lips continued to caress Cloud’s softly and the blonde returned the kiss warily.  Reno’s eyes were still shut and Cloud doubted he was even aware of what he was doing.  He swallowed as he began to harden and he gently broke the kiss and combed his fingers through Reno’s damp hair.  The Turk leaned his head back against Cloud’s shoulder and relaxed against him.

 

Cloud found it difficult to resume bathing Reno without letting his hands linger in certain places.  When his attentions got to the Turk’s groin area, he found that he was erect.  The blonde swore softly and bowed his head over Reno’s shoulder, fighting an inner battle with himself as he wiped between Reno’s thighs with the washcloth. 

 

“It’s totally involuntary,” Cloud reminded himself as he tried not to think of how stiff and inviting the flesh was.  “You probably can’t even feel this.” 

 

Somehow, he got through the rest of the bath without losing his senses and jacking Reno off.  When he finished, he sat him on the toilet and dried him off, then did the same for himself before dressing and getting Reno into his pajama pants.  The redhead’s stiffy finally went down just as Cloud was dressing him, for which the blonde was thankful.  It just felt wrong to fantasize about feeling up a guy that was in a vegetative state. 

 

“Okay, let’s get you to bed,” Cloud murmured.  He draped one of Reno’s arms around his neck before picking him up.  Rufus was waiting when he returned to the bedroom with Reno and the other blonde held the covers back for Cloud as he put the Turk into bed.  Rufus tucked him in and Cloud heard him sigh with exhaustion.

 

“Why don’t you take the bed tonight?” Cloud suggested on a sudden whim. 

 

Rufus shook his head.  “The couch is fine.”

 

Cloud stared at him and he came to a decision that took him by surprise.  He couldn’t believe he was even considering it but Rufus looked so uncharacteristically vulnerable as he stared at Reno.  The blonde fighter got up, grabbed Rufus by the arm and practically dragged him to his bed.

 

“Strife, what in hells are you doing?” Rufus frowned severely at Cloud as he struggled against the other man’s superior strength.

 

“I’m taking you to bed,” Cloud answered abruptly.  “You’re barely able to stand on your feet and you need a good night’s rest.”  He sat down on his bed and yanked the president down with him, biting back a laugh as Rufus windmilled his arms and lost his balance.

 

“You’re out of your mind,” Rufus growled, trying to get out of the bed.

 

Cloud pulled him down onto his back and pinned him there.  “That’s funny, coming from the guy that kidnapped me twice,” he said coolly.  “Now relax and go to sleep.”

 

Rufus couldn’t believe he was having this conversation, much less while being forcibly held down by a young, deceptively sweet-faced blonde.  “Cloud, let me up this instant!”

 

“Shut up and go to sleep,” growled the other man, his mouth inches away.

 

Rufus felt his body reacting to the contact and he was horrified.  He certainly didn’t appreciate being dragged to the bed and held down and he thought it was the ultimate betrayal for his body to react this way.  He swallowed and stopped struggling, trying to shift so that his stiffening crotch wasn’t pressing against Cloud’s leg.

 

“Fine, if I close my eyes would you let go of me?”

 

Cloud started to answer but then he felt Rufus’s groin tightening against his leg.  The other man’s lips were parted and tempting.  He almost gave into his urges and kissed him, but he remembered whom it was he was thinking of kissing and he clamped down on his lust and rolled to the side instead.  He allowed himself one single pleasure—he threw an arm around the other blonde and spooned up against his back. 

 

“Goodnight, Rufus.”

 

The president stared blankly into the dimness of the room, not daring to move or shift.  He couldn’t see Cloud’s wolfish grin as he struggled to swallow his own medicine without panicking.  He was used to instigating encounters or at least, having the upper hand in them.  There was no seduction in Strife’s methods—he’d just grabbed him without warning.  Rufus didn’t enjoy being taken off guard and he certainly didn’t enjoy the insecure feeling in his gut or the blush he knew was tainting his complexion.  His one consolation was that Cloud seemed content to just spoon him, when he could easily have forced more on him if he wanted to.

 

~****************************~

* * *

 

Cloud was still spooned against his back when Rufus woke up.  The president turned his head to peer at his bedmate, debating inwardly on whether he should try to slide out of the fighter’s embrace or pretend to be asleep until Strife got up on his own.  He started to move but Cloud’s arm tightened around his waist and the young fighter mumbled in his sleep and nuzzled the back of his neck.

 

_~Oh hell, of all the times to…~_

Rufus glared down at his tenting crotch and pressed his lips together.  He looked at the bed a few feet away, where Reno slept on his back.  _~Reno, you really need to wake up and pacify your wolf.~_

He didn’t mind swapping roles with Rude, but there had always been an element of control in Rufus’s favor even when bottoming for the bald man.  Rude was still his subordinate, even when he was doing the fucking.  Strife…well, he was another matter.  The blonde cuddled closer to him, pressing his Mako enhanced body firmly against Rufus’s.  The president could feel every hard line and contour of Cloud’s tightly muscled frame and his stupid body was reacting with sluttish fervency to it.   

 

 He had no way of subduing Cloud to make an encounter go in his favor, and that scared the hell out of Rufus.  He felt the golden-haired fighter’s morning wood pressing against his bottom and he tried to squirm away from it.  Unfortunately, his faint struggle woke the other man up.

 
    
    
    Cloud opened his sapphire eyes and realized whom he was pressed against on the small bed.  He could feel the tension in Rufus’s body and he knew the president was awake and feeling quite unsettled by the contact.  Cloud bit his lip to contain a snicker of schadenfreude.

 

_~Payback’s a bitch, isn’t it Rufus?~_

Cloud ground his pelvis against the other blonde’s back, giving him a better feel of how stiff he was.  “How’d you sleep?” he murmured.  He bit the president lightly on the earlobe and he grinned when the other man jumped in response.

 

“I slept just fine, thank you,” answered Rufus in a perfectly calm tone.  Cloud had to give the man credit; he was a master at disguising anxiety—at least, in his voice.  His body told a different tale and the fighter took sadistic delight in the nervous tension he sensed.

 

“Good.  It’s still pretty early so you can go back to sleep if you want to.”  Cloud nuzzled Rufus’s neck and stroked his torso through his expensive, button-up shirt.  He was tempted to reach down and give the other man’s crotch a squeeze but he wasn’t ready to be that blatant yet.

 

Rufus grimaced and squeezed his eyes shut.  “You seem inordinately affectionate towards me this morning,” he murmured. 

 

“Think so?” Cloud teased.  “Maybe I’m just horny and you’re starting to look pretty appetizing.”  _~Reno must be rubbing off on me.  Either that, or I miss him so damn much I’m acting like him to make myself feel better.~_

 

Deciding he had to put an end to this quickly, Rufus chose to inform Cloud of something he’d been keeping to his self for a while.  If nothing else, it would cool his ardor.  “Reeve’s science team is working on an experimental antidote for Mako poisoning.  So far, the tests on lab rats seem promising.”

 

The announcement produced the desired reaction.  Cloud went still and Rufus turned his head to find the fighter gazing at him with narrowed blue eyes.  “And you waited until now to tell me?  How long has this been going on?”

 

“Months,” Rufus admitted.  “And you know very well why I didn’t tell you as soon as the research began.  You’re ambiguous at best when it comes to experimental treatment and while I imagined you might be more agreeable if you knew that Reeve was overseeing it, I didn’t want to bring it up until there were solid results.”

 

Cloud sighed and shook his head.  “I knew it.  ShinRa’s always got to fuck around with nature.”

 

Rufus’s eyes went hard.  “It’s coming up on a year now, Strife.  Reno hasn’t shown any signs of improvement, other than opening his eyes once.  If I thought that he could beat this on his own I wouldn’t have funded the research.  While we’re on the subject, think of what this could do not only for Reno, but also for the world.  If Tuesti is successful we could reverse mutations caused by Mako exposure and heal other people affected by it.  Is your prejudice against my company so great that you’d deny the needs of the many?”

 

Cloud’s smooth, sculpted features were tense with conflict and his bright eyes lowered in thought.  “So you think this serum Reeve’s people are concocting might help wake Reno up?”

 

“Given the reports I’ve gotten on the testing done so far, there’s a good chance that it will,” Rufus answered.  “Eight out of ten infected lab rats came out of their catatonic state when it was administered to them, and half of them returned to their previous biological state.”

 

“What about the other half?” Cloud asked.

 

“They still retained some alterations from the Mako exposure…but they could function again, regardless.”  Rufus studied him carefully, hoping he wasn’t misjudging his reactions.

 

“And the other two that didn’t wake up?” The fighter persisted.

 

Rufus braced himself.  “They slipped deeper into a coma and died.”  Cloud’s eyes widened and his lips parted but Rufus cut him off before he could speak.  “Now, before you go into a panic, that was stage two of the testing.  I’ve got no intention of using the treatment on Reno until there are no further instances of death.  This could be what we need to save him, Cloud.  Without it, he could remain catatonic for the rest of his life or he could slip deeper on his own and pass away.  I’m not sure about you, but I’d rather not let that happen.”

 

“Thought you didn’t know that much about Mako poisoning,” Cloud grumbled.  “You freaked out when you saw his eyes last night.”

 

“I ‘freaked out’ because I wasn’t aware that it would infuse his eyes with that glow,” Rufus admitted, “but I’ve learned other things about the condition in the time he’s been afflicted.  Naturally I’ll ask you questions, since you’ve lived through it twice.  That doesn’t mean I don’t conduct research myself.”  He looked over at Reno and his eyes softened.  “Especially now that one of my own is suffering from it.”

 

Cloud gave the other man a level stare.  “Do you swear you won’t try to give him this treatment until you’re positive it won’t kill him?”

 

“On my mother’s grave,” Rufus answered steadily.  “And if you can’t trust me, you can at least trust Reeve.”

 

Cloud sighed again.  His heart warned him not to trust a word Rufus Shinra said, but he’d seen for himself that the man loved Reno—even if it wasn’t a “normal” kind of love.  “I’ll take your word for it, for now.”

 

~********************************~

* * *

 

The next weekend that Rufus came to stay, he came up with an idea that Cloud thought was terribly stupid and pointless.

 

“You’re sleeping in your car?” Cloud repeated with a bewildered look on his face.

 

Rufus nodded.  “It’s a luxury sedan, after all.  No offense Cloud, but I’d rather not spend another Monday morning at the office with a stiff back.  The car will be fine.”

 

It took a moment for Cloud to figure out what was really going on.  He had a “blonde moment”—as Zack had always liked to call them—and then it dawned on him that Rufus was afraid of getting trapped in the bed with him again.

 

“What’s so bloody funny, Strife?” Rufus asked with a glare when Cloud abruptly blurted laughter.

 

“You are,” answered the fighter between chuckles.  “What do you think I’ll do to you?  I had a little fun messing with your head but I’m not you.”

 

Rufus flushed.  “Fair enough.  I still think—”

 

“Oh, unclench,” Cloud huffed.  “If I wanted to force you to do anything I would have done it by now.  Maybe you’d deserve it but I’m not like that.  Hell, if it’ll make you feel better, you can have my bed and I’ll take the couch while you’re here.  You can even lock the bedroom door if you think I might sneak up the stairs and pounce on you in the night.” 

 

Rufus pursed his lips with annoyance as Cloud burst into fresh laughter.  “You glean amusement from the strangest things, Strife.”

 

“Like you can talk,” the other blonde shot back with a smug look.

 

Rufus sighed.

 

~*******************************~

* * *

 

Reno’s birthday came around and Reeve, Rufus and the Turks were all there for it.  Cloud and Tifa met Cissnei for the first time and though Tifa wasn’t thrilled with having a house full of Turks, she got along well with Cissnei.  She reminded her a little of Aerith, though tougher.  She had an upbeat attitude and smiles came easily to her.  Denzel and Marlene were excited with all the activity and Tifa felt a knot of dread when Denzel started asking Elena about life as a Turk.

 

“Maybe someday when you’re older, I’ll tell you,” the blonde Turk woman told the teenager.

 

“You aren’t much older than I am.” Denzel observed.

 

Elena smiled with pleasure.  “Actually, I’m twenty-six.”

 

“You look a lot younger than that.”  Denzel flushed a little and Tifa hid a smile behind her hand.  Obviously the boy thought Elena was pretty.

 

Cloud carried Reno down the stairs on his back and set him carefully on the couch in the front room.  The Turks gathered around as Cissnei took the cake she’d brought out of the box and lit the candles.

 

“Can he eat that?” Elena whispered to Reeve as the petite brunette Turk solemnly brought the cake to Reno.

 

“I suppose we’ll find out,” Reeve whispered back.  “He’s managed stew before and cake is rather soft.” 

 

They sang a birthday song to Reno, though Rude was flushing with embarrassment as he added his deep voice to it and hit a couple of sour notes.  Marlene had a surprisingly lovely singing voice and hers carried over all the others.  Cissnei blew the candles out for Reno and Tseng took the cake from her and began to cut it. 

 

“I want to try and feed it to him,” Rude stated abruptly when Cloud started to bring a slice to the catatonic redhead.

 

Surprised, Cloud handed the plate to him without argument.  Rude always had such a hard time watching Reno get fed—like the sight of his partner so helpless physically hurt him.  Maybe it was because it was Reno’s birthday that Rude was so insistent on tackling his own issues and feeding the redhead his cake.

 

“I’ve got something in my eye,” Cissnei sniffled when the bald man sat down beside Reno and began to carefully feed him.  “Where’s the bathroom?”

 

Tifa directed her down the hall and Elena quickly followed, pleading the same ailment.  Cloud noticed that Tseng was blinking a lot as he watched Rude with his stricken partner and he sidled up closer to the Wutaian. 

 

“If you’ve got something in your eye too, there’s another bathroom at the other end of the house,” he whispered to the raven-haired Turk.

 

Tseng looked at him sidelong and graced him with a brief smile.  “I believe I can endure it until Reno’s finished with his cake, thank you.”

 

Rufus stood silent and brooding beside Reeve, who was respectfully silent as well and dignified.  The air was heavy with sorrow as Rude talked softly to Reno and fed him.

 

“We got your favorite for you, partner,” the bald man said, “white cake with sweet frosting.  You’re doing good, man.”  He swallowed a lump and powered through the painful experience, until Reno had eaten half the slice and jerked his head to the side in refusal when Rude tried to give him more.

 

“He gets full fast,” Cloud said in explanation.  “His stomach’s shrank a little.”

 

Rude nodded and handed the plate over to the blonde fighter, taking a deep breath.  He put an arm around Reno and hugged him lightly.  “You always were stubborn, Red.”

 

 _~Thank Shiva for that,~_ Cloud thought silently.

 

~******************************************~

* * *

 

-To be continued  


	6. Chapter 6

“Guardian”

Chapter 6

~*******************************************~

* * *

*Disclaimer:  The world that this story is set in and all characters therein belong to Square-Enix.  This fiction piece is strictly a non-profit exercise of creativity and entertainment for people (like me) who can’t get enough of this world and the characters.* 

~***********************************************~

* * *

 

Autumn came and other than a few occasions of opening his eyes, Reno showed no further signs of improvement.   Cloud got a phone call from Reeve near the end of the season, claiming that the treatment was ready.  He was torn.  He knew that Reeve wouldn’t approve trying it on a human being if it could cause death or further injury, but having been the unwilling recipient of experimental treatments himself, Cloud was wary.

 

“Cloud, I promise you I wouldn’t even suggest trying this out on Reno if I weren’t almost positive that it won’t hurt him.”  Reeve’s voice was calm and reassuring, but the “almost” part caught Cloud’s attention.

 

“’Almost’?” Repeated the fighter.  “Do you want to run that by me again?”

 

Reeve sighed.  “As with any medication, there’s always a chance—no matter how small—that an individual might react badly to it.  Something that works wonders for most people could cause an allergic reaction in a small percentage of others.  We’re prepared for that possibility, if you’re concerned about it.”

 

Cloud looked out the window at the gloomy sky and he bit his lip.  “What’s involved in this treatment of yours?”

 

“We won’t be administering the entire thing at once,” explained Reeve.  “Bringing him out of his condition too quickly could cause shock and trauma, so we’ll give him incremental dosages, starting out once per week and eventually increasing it to two.  If there aren’t any changes or if his condition seems to get worse, we’ll stop.”

 

“Have you talked to Rufus about this yet?” Cloud thought he already knew the answer but he was procrastinating out of fear for what the treatment might do to Reno.

 

“Of course.  You should receive a call from him soon.  He wants to be there for the first treatment.”

 

Cloud grimaced.  “Good, because if it kills Reno I want him to see it.”

 

“Stop it, Cloud,” Reeve’s tone changed to one of quiet authority.  He was using his “uncle” voice.  “Rufus wants Reno to get better as much as you do.  The man might be a lot of things but he’s not indifferent to whether or not Reno survives.  You’re being childish.”

 

Cloud clenched his jaw.  “No, I’m being realistic.  He’s the one that wants to risk this treatment, not me.”

 

“And if Reno dies because of inaction?”  Reeve pressed.  “Would you blame yourself as vehemently as you’re willing to blame Rufus if something goes wrong with the treatment?”

 

Cloud’s mouth worked as he tried to come up with a counter-argument to that.  “He might come out of it on his own,” he finally said.  The argument sounded lame to his own ears.

 

“Yes, or he might slip into a full-blown coma and die,” sighed Reeve.  “At this point, nobody can say whether acting or leaving him be would be more dangerous for him.  Give us a chance to try…that’s all I’m asking.”

 

Cloud looked at his unconscious patient—who might have become a permanent lover if things hadn’t gone so wrong.  Reno looked like he was sleeping, but for the occasional frown that creased his brow when he struggled against the contamination.  He was just as breathtaking as always, though his hair was now a more natural auburn shade and his face was a touch thinner than it used to be.

 

_~What the hell do I do?  Reno, what would you want?~_

 

“Give me a couple of minutes,” Cloud finally said in a soft voice.  “I’ll call you back…I just need to think about it.”

 

“I understand,” Reeve said sympathetically.  “I’ll talk to you soon.”

 

Cloud ended the call and sat down in the chair beside Reno’s bed.  He took a deep breath and closed his eyes, ignoring the sounds of activity and voices downstairs.  He could talk to Aerith and Zack on occasion and Tifa had somehow joined him in his mind the second time he had Mako poisoning, after they both fell into the Lifestream.  If those things were possible, it should also be possible for him to communicate with Reno, somehow.  It was a long shot, but it was worth a try.

 

He relaxed as much as possible and thought of Reno with his head, heart and soul.  He’d never tried to deliberately have a vision before…usually they just happened whether he wanted them to or not.  He had no idea what he was doing or whether it would work or not.  He frowned as he heard footsteps outside his bedroom door and he shut the sound out, concentrating so hard that his head began to ache.  Just when he was about to give up, the world seemed to dissolve around him—including the sounds.

 

Cloud found himself in a small, dim, smoky room.  There was a bar against the back corner but no sign of anyone.  “Uh, Reno?” he called uncertainly.  It looked like the Turk’s sort of place but there was no sign of—

 

_“WHAT THE HELL ARE YA WAITING FOR, BLONDIE?  GIMME THE FUCKING JUICE, ALREADY!!”_

 

The voice came out of nowhere and it sounded like it was yelling right into his ear.  Cloud was so startled that he yelped and backpedaled…

 

…And the next thing he knew, he was back in his room, falling backwards to the floor in his chair.

 

“Cloud!”  Tifa was suddenly at his side and so was Marlene.  The two of them helped him up and righted the chair.  “Easy,” Tifa soothed as he sat down.  She brushed his golden bangs out of his eyes and peered at him with concern.  “Are you okay?  I thought you dozed off in the chair but then you yelled and tipped over!”

 

Cloud’s heart was still thundering.  He blinked, feeling disoriented.  “I’m okay,” he said uncertainly.  Truthfully, he was spooked.  He scooted closer to Reno and studied him intensely.  “Reno?” he murmured, wondering if he’d imagined the redhead screaming in his ear a moment ago.  He almost jumped again when the glowing, azurite eyes opened and focused on him for the briefest moment before going blank again.  The Turk’s left arm flopped out and he slapped Cloud weakly on the forearm.  After that, Reno’s eyes closed again and he went limp. 

 

“Okay Reno,” Cloud said, wide-eyed.  “I’ll get you the ‘fucking juice’.”

 

Tifa stared at him with incomprehension and confusion, while Marlene put her hands on her hips and gave Cloud a severe look.

 

“You need a break, Potty Mouth,” Marlene insisted earnestly.

 

~**********************************~

* * *

 

After Cloud got off the phone with Reeve for the second time, Tifa sat down on his bed and searched his face with concerned brown eyes.  “So, what made you change your mind?” She asked.

 

Cloud glanced down at Reno.  “You’d probably think I was nuts if I told you.”

 

She smirked.  “It’s a little late to worry about that now.”

 

“I’m serious, Tifa,” Cloud protested, though he smiled a little. 

 

She shrugged.  “Try me.”

 

He sighed and combed his fingers through his hair.  “Okay, here goes.  You remember when you found me in Mideel and I had Mako poisoning?”

 

She nodded.  “I’ll never forget that.”

 

“Well, do you remember how you got into my head and helped me piece my memories together?”

 

Again, she nodded. 

 

Cloud cleared his throat and continued.  “I think…I think I did something that let me talk to Reno.  It wasn’t like my visions with Aerith and Zack and it wasn’t like what you did when we fell into the Lifestream, but something definitely happened.  I was in a little room with a bar and I was thinking about Reeve’s treatment and wondering whether Reno would want to take it or not.  The next thing I knew, I heard him yelling in my ear and that’s when I fell over.  I guess it shocked me so much I must have kicked myself backwards in the chair or something.”

 

Tifa didn’t look completely disbelieving, which was encouraging.  “What did he say to you?”

 

Cloud grimaced.  “He asked me what the hell I was waiting for and he told me to give him the fucking juice.”

 

Tifa’s brows shot up.  “Well, that sounds like Reno, all right.  But you said there was a bar in the room…are you sure he wasn’t just ordering a drink?”

 

He considered the question for a moment.  It did seem possible, knowing Reno.  He could imagine the Turk stuck in that little room in his mind with nobody to talk to and nothing to do or drink.  He imagined that to a social butterfly like Reno, it was probably torturous.  It was possible that Reno saw him and was actually referring to a drink, screaming in desperation so that he could have something…anything…to end the terrible boredom.  Still, Cloud knew that on some level—even subconsciously—Reno was partially aware of what was going on around him.

 

“I think,” said Cloud carefully, “that even if he was just screaming for a drink, he was really desperate.  He wants out of there, I’m sure of it.”  He sighed heavily and reached out to stroke the Turk’s auburn bangs away from his pale forehead.  “I know Reno well enough to know he wouldn’t want to spend his life as a vegetable.  I think…he’d rather take the chance than be stuck like this.”

 

Tifa looked at the Turk and she was forced to agree.  “It must be hard for you to agree with this,” she murmured.  She looked at Cloud and smiled softly.  “I’m glad you’re trying to do what you think he’d want, though.”

 

He nodded, but he was frowning unhappily.  She got up and went to him, squeezing his shoulders supportively.  “You love him, don’t you?”

 

Cloud shrugged and flushed a little.  “I…I’m not sure what I feel but I know I care about him.  I don’t want to see him get hurt because of something I let happen.”

 

“You’re doing the selfless thing, putting your own feelings aside and giving him the chance you know he’d like to take.”  Tifa insisted.  She planted a soft kiss on his cheek.  “I’ll go and get his lunch warmed up for you, okay?”

 

“Thanks, Tifa.”  Cloud reached out and took Reno’s hand in his, rubbing it slowly.

 

~******************************************~

* * *

 

Rufus and the Turks arrived first and there was a bit of confusion when Reeve and his chosen doctor showed up.  Cloud and Tifa’s home wasn’t very large and the bedroom they kept Reno in could only hold so many people.  Cloud was already downstairs with Tifa and the kids but the Turks were crowded around Reno’s bed, watching as the doctor took out his medical kit and started preparing the injection.

 

“There are too many people in here,” the doctor remarked as he filled the syringe with the allotted dosage of the dark blue medication.  “I need for everyone except Mr. Tuesti and President Shinra to clear out and give me some room, please.”  Dr. Keller was around Reeve’s age and he wore his brown hair long and pulled into a ponytail.  He wasn’t a bad looking fellow and he didn’t seem intimidated by Rufus or the Turks.

 

Rude was the most reluctant to leave, but with Tseng’s coaxing he did as he was asked and followed the others out the door.  When they went downstairs he spotted Strife in the living room, sitting tensely on the loveseat.  Cloud was nursing a drink and Rude sorely wanted one himself.

 

“Pardon me,” the bald man said as he stopped in front of the blonde fighter, “is there any more of that stuff, man?”

 

“I’ll pour you a glass,” Tifa offered immediately, seeing the tense set of the big man’s shoulders.  “Why don’t you sit down next to Cloud?  You can brood together.”

 

Rude cleared his throat and grumbled something as he complied.  He saw a faint smile flicker on Cloud’s lips out the corner of his eye.  “She’s kind of…matronly,” murmured the Turk.  He remembered another, older lady that used to fuss over him at times and the guilt came rushing back.  _~I’m sorry, Mrs. Flynn.  Your son got hurt trying to protect me.~_

 

Cloud nodded.  “Yeah.  She goes into big sister mode when she sees someone hurting.  She’s always been like that.  She likes to take care of people.”

 

Tseng took a seat on the nearby couch and relaxed as much as he could.  “Tifa has a good heart,” he observed.  “For the longest time, I thought the two of you were a couple, Cloud.”

 

The blonde shook his head and smiled a little.  “A lot of people get that impression, but we’re just good friends.  If I—” He glanced at Marlene and Denzel and chose his next words carefully.  “If I hadn’t been friends with her for so long, things might have been a little different.”

 

Tseng nodded in understanding, realizing that he didn’t want to mention his sexual preferences for males in front of the kids.  Denzel evidently already knew because the teenager rolled his eyes.

 

“I’ve already cracked your code,” the teenager said dryly, “I figured it out a while ago.”

 

Cloud cleared his throat and glanced meaningfully at Marlene, who looked confused and curious.  “Keep that code to yourself, kid.”

 

Denzel bit his lip and shrugged.  “Sorry.”

 

“What are you two talking about?” Marlene asked peevishly, prompting amused grins from Elena and Tseng.  “Are you playing ‘secret agent’ or something?  Now’s not the time!”  She leaned closer to Cissnei and whispered, “Boys,” in an aggrieved tone, rolling her eyes.

 

Cissnei pinched her lips on a smile.  “Marlene, Tifa told me you have a really nice doll collection.  Will you show it to me?”

 

“Okay!”  The little girl grabbed the brunette Turk’s hand and guided her away eagerly.

 

“Smooth,” complimented Cloud with relief.  He’d have to thank Cissnei for that later.

 

Tifa returned and she watched Marlene and Cissnei pass her by.  “What’s that all about?” she inquired as she crossed the room and handed Rude his drink.

 

“A much-needed distraction,” answered Tseng. 

 

“Mmm, good call,” Tifa said with a nod.  “Would anyone else like a drink?”

 

“I’m afraid I’ll get sick if I try to drink anything now,” Elena said.  She did look a little green and she was bouncing her knee nervously as she glanced at the ceiling.  Cloud’s room was roughly above the living room and she wondered if the doctor had given Reno his first injection yet.

 

“Nothing for me, thank you,” Tseng answered politely.

 

  Tifa nodded and sat down beside him on the couch.  “I’m sure Reno will be fine,” she said, trying to make all of them feel better.

 

Cloud noticed the unhappy frown on Rude’s face as the bald man swallowed a couple of mouthfuls of the whiskey sour Tifa had made for him.  He knew that frown…he’d worn it many times himself over the years. 

 

“Hey, come outside with me for some fresh air,” Cloud muttered to the bald man.

 

Rude lifted a brow at him.  “Fresh air?  In Edge?”

 

Cloud shrugged.  “Open air, then.  I’m getting claustrophobic in here and you don’t look like you’re holding up much better.”

 

Rude couldn’t find fault with that logic and getting out of the crowded house did sound good.  He nodded and stood up, following the blonde out of the living room and to the front door.  When they got outside and he shut the door behind him, Cloud rounded on him.

 

“Ditch the guilt,” Cloud said sternly, his sapphire eyes piercing on Rude.

 

The Turk averted his eyes.  “I can’t fucking ‘ditch’ it, Strife.  You weren’t there.  He threw me out of the way, man.”

 

Cloud nodded slowly.  “Yeah, and Zack took a dozen bullets trying to protect my useless ass.  I couldn’t protect Aerith and she died trying to help us protect the Planet.  I know a little something about guilt…just ask any of my friends.  Trust me, it’s not gonna do anyone any good for you to sit there blaming yourself and at least Reno’s alive.”

 

He boldly reached out and squeezed the taller man’s shoulder.  “If he hadn’t thrown you out of the way, you’d both be laying there now.  Just like if Zack hadn’t hidden me and fought, we’d both be dead.  It’d be a waste and at least you’re able to take care of him.  It’s not healthy to play the blame game with yourself.  It’ll make you a ball of angst and give you mental issues…believe me.”

 

Rude sighed deeply and nodded, taking another drink.  “I get that, but I can’t just move on and act like nothing happened.”

 

“No, you can’t,” agreed the blonde, “but there’s healthy sadness and there’s self-destructive sadness.  You can worry about him, you can feel bad for him, but you don’t have to keep blaming yourself to do all that.”  He forced a little smile.  “Besides, if Reno saw you acting like this you know he’d smack you around for it.”

 

That made Rude smile a little.  He could picture his partner calling him a big puss and telling him to snap out of it.  “We were there that day,” Rude murmured.  “We saw the whole thing.  Fair fought like nobody I’ve ever seen.”

 

Cloud paled a little and swallowed.  “You guys were there?”

 

Rude nodded.  “Yeah.  We were trying to retrieve you on Tseng’s orders, before the army could get to you.  We didn’t get there on time but Reno damned near crashed the chopper, thinking he’d fly low enough to give Zack a chance to grab hold of a ladder.  Red’s got more balls than common sense sometimes, man.”

 

Cloud felt a pang in his chest.  “He tried to save Zack?”

 

“Yeah.  We couldn’t do anything openly though.  It was a covert mission and like I said, we didn’t get there on time.  By the time the army cleared out and we could land and come look for you, you’d already taken off on your own.  That surprised the hell out of us.”

 

Cloud’s mind went back to that day and he somehow managed to hold his emotions in check.  “Oh.  Can you tell me what happened to Zack’s body?  I mean, did anyone bother to bury him or…or did Hojo…get his hands on…”

 

Rude looked at him with a mildly sympathetic expression.  “Don’t worry, Hojo never got his hands on Fair’s body.  Reno and I met up with Cissnei’s team and we were gonna take his remains and give him a proper burial, but the Lifestream took him instead.  I guess the Planet didn’t want Hojo fucking with him anymore either.”

 

Relief swept through Cloud.  He’d always wondered what happened to his friend’s body but by the time he got his memory straightened out, it was gone.  He had no way of knowing if it had decomposed or if someone buried it or what.   

 

“Thanks,” Cloud said past an aching throat.  “That’s really good to know.  I never knew you guys tried to help us.”

 

“No problem,” Rude said.  “I figured I should let you know, since you’re trying to help me keep my cool and all.”

 

~**********************************~

* * *

 

After administering the injection, the doctor checked Reno’s vital signs and his pupil reactions.  “Hmm, the pupil response to light is good, for someone in his condition,” the doctor said as he held Reno’s eyelids open and passed his penlight back and forth over his eyes.  “With any luck, we should see results soon.”

 

“How soon would you estimate?” Rufus demanded.

 

Dr. Keller put away his penlight and frowned.  “It’s hard to say, Sir.  He’s the first human we’ve tried this treatment on.  Some lab rats began to respond within a week but others took nearly a month before showing signs of improvement.  All we can do now is wait and keep giving him the treatment in the agreed intervals.”

 

“I’ve arranged for Dr. Keller to stay here for the duration of Reno’s treatment,” Reeve said to the president.  He’ll be staying at a hotel nearby, so that if anything goes wrong he can get here immediately.”

 

Rufus nodded and gazed down at his lover with pensive gray eyes.  “I’m a bit surprised that Strife actually agreed to this, given his hatred for my company and his history with us.”

 

“Cloud’s actually sweeter than he is judgmental, believe it or not,” Reeve smiled.  “He can be stubborn but I think in the end, he decided to do what was best for Reno.”

 

The redheaded Turk suddenly bucked in his bed, startling the men to silence. 

 

“You’d think I’d get used to that,” sighed Reeve when the Turk stilled again.  “It always gives me a fright when they do that, though.”

 

It happened again and the doctor frowned.  Reeve and Rufus shared a puzzled look.

 

“Does he often have spasms that close together?” questioned the doctor.

 

Reno twitched again a few seconds later…and again after that.

 

Rufus shook his head, his pale brows drawing together with suspicion and concern.  “No,” he answered in a tight voice, “usually, his fits are brief and far apart.”

 

As soon as he finished the sentence, Reno began to convulse violently.  A hoarse moan emitted from the redhead’s mouth and the doctor quickly rolled the redhead onto his side with the help of the other two men.  He gripped Reno’s jaw to keep his airway open, while Reeve situated the pillows under his head to keep it safely cushioned.

 

“Why is this happening?” Rufus demanded in a yell.

 

~*************************************~

* * *

 

Cloud and Rude both heard the president’s alarmed shout and the ruckus coming from inside of the house.  The blonde tossed his glass down without even thinking about it, ignoring the shatter against the pavement as he charged through the door.  Rude was close behind him as he sped past everyone on the first floor and took the stairs two at a time.  The others followed with hollered inquiries but Cloud didn’t spare any time conversing with them.

 

He shoved the bedroom door open so hard that it banged against the wall.  Cloud saw Reno seizing on his side and his first instinct was to rush across the room and shove the doctor away from him.  He somehow restrained himself and approached to squeeze in between Rufus and Reeve. 

 

“What the hell did you do to him?” the fighter asked, his blue eyes flashing on the doctor.

 

“He’s reacting much sooner than expected,” Dr. Keller answered with restrained calm.  “I anticipated this possibility but I had no way to test it, until now.”

 

“Are you telling me you didn’t test this on people before you gave it to him?” Cloud thundered.

 

“There were no human subjects available!” hollered the doctor right back, causing Cloud to recoil in surprise.  This doctor had more guts than most other doctors he’d ever dealt with.  “The medication works as an inhibitor, blocking the chemicals in the Mako that suppress the subject’s neural functions—enough so that the subject’s natural defenses can neutralize the poisoning.”

 

“So you’re saying this seizure’s a good thing?” Rude asked from behind Cloud.

 

“Yes,” answered the doctor in a strained voice.  “His nervous system is coming back online, so to speak.  It’s out of control for the moment but eventually, the bridge between his mind and his body will be mended and he’ll regain fine motor control, awareness and speech.”

 

“Shouldn’t you put something in his mouth to keep him from swallowing his tongue?” Denzel asked nervously from across the room.

 

“That’s a myth, kid,” Dr. Keller said.  “It’s actually not advisable to put anything in a seizing person’s mouth.  They could choke on it or it could cause damage to the jaw, throat or teeth.  You keep them from biting their tongue by pressing on either side of the jaw to keep it from closing, like I’m doing now.”

 

“Oh,” Denzel said with interest.  “Cool.”

 

“Come on, guys,” Tifa urged, “now that we know Reno’s not dying, we need to give the doctor some room.”  She began to usher everyone out of the bedroom, but Cloud and Rude both remained frozen to the spot.  Deciding she would have better luck trying to move a pair of statues, she shrugged and left.

 

“One of you talk to him,” ordered Dr. Keller.

 

Everyone looked at each other blankly and the doctor glared at Rufus and Cloud in turn.  “You two…talk to him, dammit!”  Evidently Reeve had filled him in on who paid the medical bills and who the primary caregiver was.

 

“Okay, okay!” Cloud yelped.  He wasn’t used to such a pushy doctor and the man reminded him vaguely of Cid, with his sudden outbursts. 

 

Rufus was likewise shaken and both of them leaned over Reno’s bed and spoke his name at the same time.  They stopped and stared at each other uncomfortably and the doctor sighed with impatience. 

 

“Quit acting like a pair of junkyard dogs going for the same bone and think about the patient,” Keller ordered.  To Reeve, he said: “It’s a wonder this man’s made it so far, with these people taking care of him.”

 

Rufus glared at him but Cloud was properly intimidated.  “Reno,” the blonde murmured, “it’s okay.  We’re right here.  Rufus is next to me and Rude’s here, too.  The others are downstairs.”  He wasn’t sure what else to say and he looked up at the doctor uncertainly as Reno’s spasms became less violent.

 

Dr. Keller nodded.  “Good.  Hearing a familiar voice will help keep him calm.”  He looked at Rufus.  “Now you.”

 

Rufus hesitated, looking down at his straining lover with something like pain in his eyes.  He worked his mouth for a moment before speaking.  “Come back to us, Reno.  You’re still very much needed and I have no intention of giving you up.”

 

Reno didn’t respond, but his thrashing eased up a bit more and Rufus impulsively reached out to stroke his hair.  “Rude, perhaps you should speak to him too,” the president suggested.

 

Rude stepped forward obediently and coughed into his hand before speaking to Reno.  “Uh, look…that was a really bone-headed thing for you to do, taking a plunge to get me out of the way,” he said haltingly, “but I know how stubborn you are, partner.  When you come out of this, we’re gonna have those beers we planned on, and I’m buying.”

 

They watched anxiously as Reno’s seizure slowed and stopped.  The redhead sighed as if in relief and he relaxed.  Rufus looked at the doctor questioningly and the man obliged.

 

“He’ll probably drift in and out between sleeping and struggling, now,” Dr. Keller explained, “Seizures are pretty exhausting for the recipient, so it’s best to let him rest between them.  I’ll administer the next treatment on schedule and in the mean time, just keep someone nearby as much as possible to turn him onto his side and support his head when he has his fits.”

 

Seeing the anxious expressions on Cloud and Rude’s faces, he softened his voice.  “I know it’s upsetting to watch, but the spasms are a good sign.  Just try to remember that.”  He paused and stared narrowly at Rufus, who was pale and had his jaw set firmly but otherwise showed little expression.  The doctor abruptly went to his medical bag and dug out a bottle of pills.  He checked the label, nodded and unscrewed the cap to shake a couple into his hand.

 

“President Shinra, take these.”  He held the capsules out to Rufus, who arched a brow and looked at him expectantly. 

 

“And why do I get the dubious pleasure of medication?” Rufus inquired evenly.  “Of the three of us, I think I’m the furthest away from hysterics.”  He gave Cloud and Rude a meaningful look, pointing out their blatantly worried faces to the man.

 

“Your two companions are expressing a healthy and normal reaction to seeing someone they care for go through this,” Dr. Keller explained, “but you aren’t.  I’d almost think you were in a state of shock, but I’m more inclined to believe you’re just uptight.  These will help you relax.  Now take the damned pills, Mr. President.”

 

Rufus met the doctor’s challenging stare and for a moment, a silent battle of wills occurred.  Unfortunately for the blonde, he was far more exhausted than he let on and he wavered.

 

“Which one of us is the doctor, here?” Keller asked calmly, destroying what was left of Rufus’s resolve.

 

Rufus sighed and took the pills, ignoring the surprised looks that Cloud and Rude gave him.  “I’ll take them when I go back downstairs and can get some water,” Rufus said as the other man dropped the capsules into his hand.

 

“Then I’ll go downstairs with you now,” Keller insisted.  “I don’t need you having a breakdown.”

 

Rufus scowled and allowed the doctor to follow him out of the room.  Reeve, Cloud and Rude watched the two men go and the golden-haired fighter blew a low whistle.

 

“He’s good,” Cloud muttered.

 

Reeve smirked.  “That’s why I chose him.  He’s also got a degree in psychiatry.”

 

~***********************************~

* * *

 

Everyone except for Keller, Reeve, Rude and Rufus took a chopper back to Junon after that and the doctor made sure that Rufus took the two capsules he’d given him before leaving.  He left his hotel room number and a few more anxiety pills with Cloud and he told him to call if he needed anything.  Tifa went to open her bar for the evening and Denzel and Marlene both left to stay the night at friends’ houses.  Cloud was alone in the living room with Rufus and Rude.  Reeve was upstairs taking the first shift to watch over Reno.

 

“So, is it kicking in yet?”

 

Rufus looked up at Cloud’s soft inquiry.  “Is what kicking in?”

 

“The medicine,” prompted the fighter.  “Is it making you more relaxed?”

 

Rufus snorted and looked out the window.  “I don’t feel anything.  ‘Nerve relaxant’—what utter nonsense.  You would think a doctor would know that medication like that only works on people that actually have an imbalance or disorder.”

 

Cloud and Rude shrugged at each other and the blonde fighter turned on the television.  “Well, maybe there’s something decent on TV to watch.”

 

“I think I’ll have a shower, if you don’t mind.”  As arrogant as he was, Rufus was ever the polite houseguest and he rarely just helped himself.

 

“Knock yourself out,” Cloud shrugged.

 

Rufus got up out of the armchair and stood still for a moment, shaking his head and putting a hand to it.  Cloud and Rude looked up at him curiously and the president suddenly began to drop like a tree felled by an axe.  Rude got to him first and the Turk caught him before he fell on his face.

 

“I’ve got him,” the bald man grunted as he turned his boss around in his arms and picked him up.  He looked down at Rufus, who was blinking his steadily dilating eyes and wearing an almost comical look of confusion on his handsome features. 

 

“Sir?”  Rude inquired.

 

“I…I think I stand corrected,” Rufus answered sluggishly.  He struggled to keep his eyes open as he looked up at Rude.  “That was…abrupt.”

 

Cloud looked at the woozy president with a half-grin, unsurprised that the pills eventually affected him after all.  “He can have my bed tonight,” he told Rude.  “You can take the couch and I’ll take the loveseat.”

 

~***********************************~

* * *

 

-To be continued

 

 

 

 

 

 


	7. Chapter 7

“Guardian”

Chapter 7

~*******************************************~

* * *

*Disclaimer:  The world that this story is set in and all characters therein belong to Square-Enix.  This fiction piece is strictly a non-profit exercise of creativity and entertainment for people (like me) who can’t get enough of this world and the characters.* 

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* * *

 

 

Reno struggled through the fog that seemed to weigh him down.  He heard people talking and he felt the needle pierce his skin for the second time.  He had no way of knowing how much time had passed since the last injection or how long he’d been _aware_ of his surroundings.  Time was a vague concept to him.  He wasn’t even sure of who he was or where he was, for that matter.  The only certainty he had was that he _needed_ to wake up.  He _needed_ to open his eyes and say something, so that they wouldn’t think he was dead.  Hell, he didn’t even know who _they_ were.  Images flashed through his mind and he couldn’t place names with the faces. 

 

There was a dark-skinned bald man with handsome, rugged features and a pair of designer sunglasses.  There was a Wutaian man with features that were practically beautiful and long, shiny black hair.  A blonde woman with soft brown eyes and delicate features flashed in his mind…and then there were two other men that he instinctively knew had the most significant impact on his life.  Both were blonde but they were very different from one another.  One had sandy-blonde hair and piercing gray eyes.  His features were noble, handsome and commanding.  The other blonde man’s hair was more of a golden color and it was spiked and feathered.  He had beautiful blue eyes and youthful, innocent looking features. 

 

If only Reno could remember their names, or even their purpose in his life.  He knew that if he could piece it all together, he’d be okay.  His body tensed as he struggled with determination.  He felt his muscles twitching and it made him angry that he couldn’t coordinate them.  He heard the groan burst from his own mouth and he clenched his jaw and strained harder, refusing to give up.

 

“Reno?”  A soft, masculine voice inquired.

 

He vaguely recognized the voice and he wondered who “Reno” was.  He clenched his jaw and threw all of his strength into it.  The next thing he felt was his body rolling off of the bed and the heavy impact as he hit the floor.

 

“Reno!”  The male voice was alarmed and suddenly there were arms around him.  He opened his eyes and looked up at to see a fine-boned, Wutaian face peering down at him.  The man’s raven hair fell free around that face and the ends brushed against Reno’s skin and tickled it.  The man holding him had the darkest eyes Reno had ever seen and they were soft and worried on him, fringed with thick lashes.  A red dot was situated between the straight, black eyebrows and Reno impulsively reached up and poked it.

 

“Hey,” he croaked.  “I guess I’m ‘Reno’, right?”

 

The Wutaian man nodded and his eyes filled with tears.  He swallowed and caressed the redhead’s cheek.  “Yes.  You’re Reno.  Welcome back, Kitsune.”

 

~****************************************~

* * *

 

He was surrounded by people and he only vaguely remembered any of them.  The young, spiky-haired blonde was the most familiar to him and he leaned tiredly into the man’s embrace as he helped him to the bathroom.  The only name he could place with the golden-haired man was “Blondie”, but he knew it wasn’t his real name.  The other blonde he’d been seeing flashes of in his mind wasn’t around and they told him he was asleep.  Evidently the man was his boss and his name was Rufus.

 

“So who are you again?” Reno mumbled as the hot blonde guy half-dragged him down the hallway.

 

“Cloud,” answered the blonde with an endearing, shy little smile.  “I know you’re confused but it’ll get better.  Just take it easy and let your memories come back on their own, okay?”

 

“’Cloud’, eh?” Reno repeated, tasting the unusual name.  “It’s weird, yo.  I know you but I don’t know you.”  He scanned the blonde with his eyes, appreciating his compact form.  “You’d think I’d remember someone like you.”

 

“Mako poisoning does that,” Cloud answered softly.  “It could take months for you to remember everything.  You’ve sort of got a form of amnesia right now.”

 

“Hmph…figures,” Reno muttered.  They made it through the bathroom door and he looked into the mirror and gave a start.  “Holy fuck…what’s wrong with my eyes, man?”

 

“It’s the Mako,” answered Cloud gently.  “It might go away on it’s own eventually, though.”

 

Reno stared at his reflection and blinked.  “Cripes…that’s fucking creepy, yo!  You sure it’ll go away?”  He looked at Cloud with barely concealed desperation, not fond of the thought of spending the rest of his life with neon glowing eyes.

 

“Maybe,” Cloud reiterated uncomfortably.  “I don’t know for sure but I’m guessing it might.  Calm down, okay?  You’re awake and you can see…that’s a hell of a lot more important than whether your eyes glow or not.”

 

 Reno saw what the blonde was trying to hide, then.  The relief in those fathomless blue eyes and the tension in the tight body told him that Blondie was on the verge of tears.  “Okay, I’ll chill out,” Reno murmured, forcing a little smile.  “Don’t get upset, yo.”  Something made him reach out and cup the back of Blondie’s head.  A light bulb clicked on in his head as he pulled the other man’s lips to his for a kiss.

 

“Yo, I’m gayer than a fucking rainbow,” Reno muttered against Cloud’s mouth.  “How do ya like that?”

 

Cloud burst into soft laughter and Reno enjoyed the sound.  He smiled at the blonde with genuine pleasure and he reached out again and caressed his smiling, fair face.  “You’re too cute for your own good, kid.  I’ve been awake for all of ten minutes and I’m already out of the closet, yo.  So tell me, do you and I fuck around a lot or what?”

 

“Uh, yeah,” Cloud admitted, flushing in an endearing way that made Reno want to do things to him that were better left unsaid.  “We…uh…fuck around a lot.  Or we did, anyhow.  You’ve actually got your own little harem.”

 

“I’ve got a harem?”  Reno laughed.  “Damn, I’m good.  So who all’s in this harem of mine?”

 

“Well, there’s Rufus—”

 

Reno’s eyebrows shot up and he interrupted Cloud.  “Whoa, did ya just say ‘Rufus’??  Like, my BOSS?  I’m doing my boss?”

 

Cloud chuckled and nodded.  “Yeah, you’ve pretty much been doing him since you started working for him.  You’re also with your partner Rude…he’s the big bald guy with the sunglasses.  Then there’s Tseng, who was there when you woke up…and there’s me.”

 

Reno absorbed all of this and a slow grin spread over his face.  “I’m a real lucky bastard, aren’t I?”  He smirked at Cloud, who was blushing heavily.  Something wicked grabbed hold of him and he put his hands on either side of the blonde’s head and pinned him against the wall.  “So which one of us bottoms, hot stuff?”

 

Cloud’s pretty lips worked for a moment before he found his voice.  “Usually you do, but the last time…um…”

 

Reno traced the blonde’s mouth with a fingertip, enjoying the flustered way he stammered.  “You top?  Really?  You seem kind of shy for a seme, baby.”

 

Cloud’s blue eyes flashed in challenge.  “What you see isn’t always what you get.”

 

Reno’s libido flared and he gave the blonde a feral grin.  “Ah ha, so that’s it?  You just need a little incentive to kick it into gear?”  He leaned in and caught hold of Cloud’s earlobe with his teeth, tugging on it.

 

“Okay, this really isn’t the right time for this,” Cloud gasped as the lithe redhead pressed his hips against his. 

 

“Mmm, right,” Reno purred.  “I’m supposed to be taking a leak, yo.  Damn, that’s gonna be kind of tough with a stiffy.  Wanna help me out, Blondie?”

 

Cloud ogled him, looking comically flustered.  “Dude, you’ve only been out of a coma for fifteen minutes!”

 

Reno shrugged.  “Hey, is it my fault you’re so hot?”  He ground his hips against Cloud’s, letting the blonde feel his arousal through the jogging pants he wore.  “You said yourself that you’re part of my harem, yo.”

 

Cloud bit his lip and forced his flaring arousal back down.  “Cut it out, man.  This isn’t the time for…for…that.  We’ll have plenty of time later.  I just want to help you get cleaned up and changed, right now.”

 

Reno chuckled at him, shaking his head.  “You’re kind of a prude for a harem boy, Blondie.  I expect you to show me why I keep you around, later on.”

 

~**************************************************~

* * *

 

Rufus stared at his lover, hardly able to believe that he was awake and standing in front of him.  The others had let him sleep instead of waking him up when Reno came out of his coma.  He would have preferred to be woken up but his employees and Cloud all seemed to share the doctor’s opinion that he was fragile and needed his rest.

 

“Welcome back, Fox,” Rufus managed to say past an unusual lump that formed in his throat.

 

Reno tilted his head, his bright eyes faintly confused on him.  “Fox?  Is that like a pet name or something?”

 

“It is,” Rufus confirmed, still devouring the redhead with his eyes.  Reno was wearing a borrowed t-shirt and a pair of stonewashed jeans.  He looked so much like he had when Rufus first met him that it made the blonde nostalgic.  “I assume your memories are a bit…fuzzy?”

 

Reno nodded and lowered his eyes.  “Yeah.  It sucks, man.  I know you but…I just…I can’t remember.”  He shook his head and turned away.  “I feel like I should fucking know you.  I know Blondie more than I know you but you’re…I know you’re really important to me.”

 

Rufus swallowed his jealousy at the revelation that Reno was having an easier time remembering Cloud than him.  Strife had already explained to him that Mako poisoning attacked the most important memories first.  It had taken Cloud a long time to remember Zack, who was one of the most important people in his life. 

 

“Give yourself time,” Rufus said as he reached out and laid a hand on Reno’s tense shoulder.  “I have no intention of going anywhere and perhaps some day, you’ll recognize me again.”

 

Reno closed his eyes.  The sandy-blonde’s touch was so familiar and welcome to him, just as Rude’s quiet smile and Tseng’s velvet eyes had been.  The familiarity didn’t jog his memory, though.  He knew Rufus’s touch but he couldn’t recall any memories of it.  When the president embraced him from behind, Reno leaned into his arms and willed himself to remember. 

 

“I know I fucking love you,” Reno murmured past and aching throat.  “I just wish I could remember when I started to, yo.”

 

Rufus nuzzled his neck.  “That’s actually the first time you’ve ever told me that, without a threat of death hanging over our heads.”  His mouth was smiling against Reno’s skin.  “If you can remember how you feel about me, it’s enough for now.”

 

~************************************************~

* * *

 

“Firebrick red,” Reno announced a few days later, whilst eating cereal with Marlene and Denzel.

 

“Huh?” Denzel asked, his spoon halfway to his mouth.

 

“That’s the color I used to die my hair, man,” Reno answered with a pleased smile.  “I just remembered.”

 

“Oh,” Denzel replied.  “So are you going to do it again or are you going to leave it natural?”

 

Reno glanced sidelong at Rude, who was putting the milk away and had frozen to the spot.  “I think I should start getting back into old habits, yo.  It might help jolt my memories if I get back into the swing of things.”

 

“Sounds smart,” Marlene agreed.  Rude nodded as well but stayed silent.

 

“You don’t talk a whole lot, do ya partner?” Reno asked the bald man.

 

Rude gave the redhead a sudden, unexpected smile as he shook his head.  “That’s one of the first things you ever said to me.”

 

Reno grinned in response and a flash of memory came back to him.  “Holy shit…I _remember_ that!  It was our first day working together and Tseng put us up against a bunch of other guys in the gym, right?”

 

Rude nodded.  “That’s right.  We had some drink afterward and you said I don’t talk much.”

 

Reno felt a twinge of relief.  Finally, he had a memory to go with the familiar feelings.  “Don’t ever change, yo.”

 

~***********************************~

* * *

 

Reno wasn’t the most cooperative patient in the world.  The doctor came to examine him and determine when it would be safe for him to start returning to his normal routine and he was impatient.

 

“Come on, Doc…I feel fine.”  Reno had taken up the habit of wearing his shades, which Rude had brought to him a few days after he woke up.  His eyes weren’t sensitive to light but he somehow knew that he was seeing more vividly than before, and the shades toned it down.  Not only that, but people gave him startled looks when they saw his eyes and he didn’t appreciate feeling like a freak show.  He had dyed his hair back to its usual bright shade and he was wearing it in his customary ponytail.  He’d also begun wearing his Turk uniform again and with the exception of the sunglasses, he looked like his old self again.  Appearances were deceiving, however.

 

Dr. Keller frowned as he drew some blood and found it to be brighter than normal.  He was familiar enough with the SOLDIER program to understand that it was the Mako in Reno’s body causing the discoloration of his blood.  “You may think you feel fine now, but I’m not taking any chances.  Until I’m satisfied that the contamination isn’t causing lasting harm, I want you taking it easy.”

 

Reno pressed his lips together with irritation and looked at Rufus, who stood silently and watched over the examination.  “Boss, I’m ready to come back to work, yo.”

 

“No, you aren’t,” Rufus answered firmly.  “Until the doctor gives the nod, you’re staying put and if I catch you doing otherwise, you’ll regret it.”

 

Reno’s eyebrows shot up and he looked at Cloud, who was standing by the window and had laughed softly at Rufus’s comment.  “What am I, a kid?  What is he gonna do, put me over his damned knee?”

 

“Probably,” Cloud said with a shrug and a little grin at Rufus.  “I’ve seen him do worse, and not just to you.”

 

Reno looked up at Rufus uncertainly and the president’s gray eyes held his.  He frowned as he recovered another lost memory and he nearly jumped in shock as it vividly replayed in his mind.  The doctor paused in his task of checking his pulse and Rufus also noticed the startled expression.

 

“What is it, Reno?”  The president’s eyes were intrigued and intense on him.

 

Cloud turned around as Reno pulled his sunglasses up to rest on his head and stared up at his boss.  “I’m getting a memory,” the redhead whispered.  “I…I remember you,” he pointed at Rufus, “holding a gun.  There was this guy and he was…”  He trailed off and went pale.  “You stopped him.”

 

Rufus’s expression turned grim and he crossed the room to put a hand on Reno’s shoulder.  “Of all the memories you’re retrieving, I’d have preferred for that one to stay lost.”

 

Dr. Keller wisely kept his mouth shut and left the room, claiming he needed to get some medication from his bag.  Cloud looked between Reno’s pale face and Rufus’s grim one, a horrible realization coming to him.  “Someone tried to rape him?”

 

Rufus nodded slowly.  “He failed, and he died too quickly.”

 

Reno put a hand to his mouth and for a moment, Cloud thought he was going to be sick.  “Fuck, that’s one I could have lived without,” the redhead muttered.  He looked up at Rufus with an expression akin to hero worship.  “The only good thing about that memory was that look on your face, boss.  You were like a fucking avenging angel and I’m glad I can remember that.”

 

Rufus shook his head and lowered his eyes, but not before Cloud caught the flash of emotion on his face.  Hide it though he might, Rufus Shinra loved Reno…probably more than he loved anything else in the world—including his own life.

 

Cloud could hardly believe the words that came out of his mouth next.  “Maybe it’s time for you to take him home.  I mean, if Dr. Keller agrees to it.  I think he’d do better in more familiar surroundings than he’d do here.”

 

Rufus and Reno both looked at him with surprise and he swallowed, hoping they couldn’t see the emotions lurking beneath the surface.

 

“Getting tired of me, Blondie?” Reno asked teasingly, but his bright, tourmaline eyes held a spark of disappointment.

 

“No,” Cloud said with a smile.  “I just want what’s best for you and I’m trying not to be selfish.  You’ll be your old pain-in-the-ass self again sooner if you get back into your old routine.”

 

Reno chuckled.  “If the doc would let me go back to work I’d be back on my feet even faster, man.”

 

“That’s pushing it,” Cloud said, exchanging a look with Rufus.  “The doctor’s being smart about that and the last thing you need is to push yourself too hard and get hurt.  You can’t go right back to work but you can at least go back to living in a more familiar setting.”

 

Reno sighed.  “Yeah, yeah.  I guess you’re right but I’m gonna miss the sight of that tight little ass of yours.  You’ll come visit me, right?  I mean, you’re one of my harem guys anyhow.”

 

Rufus shot a confused look at the redhead.  “Harem?”

 

Cloud shrugged.  “Well yeah…he’s got four of us.  What the hell else should I call it?”  To Reno, he said: “I’ll come visit whenever you want.”

 

“Why don’t you and the boss man stay overnight when you take me back home?” Reno suggested with a leer.  “I might feel more at home with a pair of hot blondes in my bed.”

 

Cloud and Rufus shared a look of dread that made Reno burst into laughter.  “You two don’t get along, do ya?”

 

“Not really,” answered Rufus.

 

“No,” answered Cloud abruptly.

 

“I can see I’m gonna have to work on that, yo.”  Reno didn’t seem the least bit concerned.

 

~**************************************************~

* * *

 

Three days later, Dr. Keller allowed Rufus to take Reno back home to Junon.  The redhead hadn’t been joking when he’d suggested that Rufus and Cloud stay with him his first night at his apartment and he didn’t let up until Cloud agreed to fly back with them.  Both blonde men were nervous as they buckled themselves into the helicopter and Reno took the pilot seat.

 

“Are you sure you remember how to fly?” Cloud asked in a carefully controlled tone.

 

Reno turned in his seat and smirked at him.  “It’s like breathing, man.  Some things you never forget, yo.  Kick back and relax, babe.”

 

Cloud grimaced and tried to do as he was advised, but as soon as the rotaries started up and the chopper lurched off the ground, he was clutching his seat with white-knuckled hands.  Rufus didn’t fair much better but he was more adept at hiding his terror than Cloud was.

 

“Whoa, that’s a little rough,” Reno announced with a wince.  He pulled back on the stick and the vehicle continued to rise at a smoother pace.  “Hey, it’s been over a year.  Ya can’t expect perfection right away.”

 

“I thought it was as easy as breathing,” Rufus answered in a tight voice.  He was already regretting his choice to let Tseng go home two days ago, instead of keeping him there to fly the chopper.  The Wutaian wasn’t as skilled a pilot as Reno had once been but it was clear that the redhead was badly out of practice.

 

Reno shrugged and tossed a mischievous grin at the president.  “Okay, so it’s complicated breathing…like lamas or something.  I can still do it, though.  I’m not gonna crash when I’ve got such hot cargo to take care of, yo.”  He reached out and squeezed Rufus on the knee, winking at him.

 

“Just concentrate on flying, please,” the president said through stiff lips as the chopper began to spin in circles.

 

“Yeah, what he said,” Cloud muttered, his sapphire eyes huge in his face.

 

Reno sighed and righted the chopper, chuckling at the pallor of his two passengers.  He checked his heading and set his course, falling back into the familiar routine with relative ease.  Both of the other men relaxed a little when he had them on a straight, smooth course.

 

~************************************~

* * *

 

“So this is my apartment?”  Reno looked around at the modern furniture and the impressive view of the city out the big window in the living room.  “Yo, I’ve got damned good taste.”

 

“I’m afraid there’s nothing in your refrigerator,” Rufus explained as he removed his jacket and hung it on the wall.  “I just had your utilities turned back on a couple of days ago.  We can order takeout tonight and do some grocery shopping tomorrow.”

 

Reno looked at him, then at Cloud.  He grinned, wondering if they were as horny as he was.  It was weird…he knew they were his lovers but they were being so reserved—like they were afraid they’d be taking advantage if they made any moves on him.  He also knew they weren’t comfortable around each other, though he couldn’t quite remember why.  He thought their clashing personalities complimented each other and he imagined that if he had both of them in bed at the same time, people would probably hear his orgasmic screams three blocks away.

 

“So do you two ever fuck?”  Reno asked as he lifted his shades to peer at them with interest.

 

Cloud’s jaw dropped and Rufus cleared his throat.  “Not for some time,” the president answered uncomfortably.

 

“Why not?  I’ll bet you’d be hot together.”

 

“Because someone doesn’t know how to take what he likes to dish out,” Cloud said with an angry look at Rufus.

 

“And how would you know that, Strife?” the president shot back arrogantly.  “I don’t recall you ever having tried before.”

 

“Is that a challenge?” Cloud growled.

 

Reno looked at the two of them with a combination of excitement and concern.  Cloud was showing a side he hadn’t seen since waking up and now it seemed more likely that the fighter could take on a seme role.  He was very…wolf-like now.  Rufus reminded Reno of a sleek, deadly cougar.  His gray eyes were narrowed and fixed on Strife.

 

“So wait a minute,” Reno said, stepping between the two other men hastily.  “Are you telling me you guys bone me but you never bump uglies with each other?  Ya can’t tell me you’re not a little hot for each other, yo.”

 

“I’m not hot for _him,_ ” Cloud snapped in an insulted tone.  “Maybe you get off on getting kidnapped, cuffed and molested but I don’t.”

 

“That’s not what you said the last time,” Rufus countered with a smug grin.

 

Reno’s eyes shot to the framed, broken handcuffs on his living room wall and he got a flash of recollection.  He’d wondered about them when he first walked into the house, thinking it was a strange choice of decoration, but now they took on a new meaning.  His bright eyes flashed to Cloud, who was looking flustered and angry.  The memory of cuffing the blonde to a sleek black motorcycle and fucking his brains out suddenly came back to Reno with vivid clarity and his eyes widened.

 

“Yo, I just got a fan-fucking-tastic memory back,” Reno said with a sharp grin at Cloud.  “Ya do so get off on being cuffed and molested, Blondie.  I’ve got the souvenir to prove it, too.”  He pointed at the framed handcuffs gleefully and he shifted a little as his body reacted to the hot memory.

 

Cloud blushed brightly as Rufus smirked at him and Reno looked positively predatory.  “I never…you didn’t…if you think that’s the sort of thing…”  Cloud stammered and waved his arms in exasperation.  “You make it sound like I asked for it!”

 

“Well even if ya didn’t, I know you loved every minute of it,” Reno said with a confident smile.  “Why else would you still come back for more, huh?”

 

“I’m not TALKING about you,” Cloud snarled, his eyes going to Rufus.

 

Reno looked at his boss questioningly, unable to believe that a man who had shot his attempted rapist would ever force himself on anyone.  “What’s he talking about, boss?  Any truth to that?”

 

“A grain of it, yes,” Rufus admitted with a sigh.  “Initially, he wasn’t a willing participant of our encounter, though he did change his mind by the time we got down to business.”

 

“So you fucking raped him?”  Reno said.  He wasn’t prepared for the protective feeling that overcame him at the thought of someone doing that to the blue-eyed blonde. 

 

“No, he didn’t rape me,” Cloud said softly before Rufus could even begin to defend himself.  “I could have gotten out of it if I really wanted to and you both knew that.  I just…didn’t want to admit it.”

 

Rufus was looking at Cloud with an expression the fighter had never, ever seen on his face or expected to see.  He actually did a double-take, convinced that he was imagining the regretful look.  It vanished after a moment but it was real.

 

“So you seduced him, then?” Reno persisted.  “You didn’t actually force him, yo?”

 

“It was poor judgment on my part,” Rufus said.  “In my efforts to keep you, I mistreated Strife.  I can at least admit that he deserved better than that.”

 

“You did all that to keep Reno?” Cloud said with a frown.  “What the hell did you think I was going to do, stuff him in my motorcycle and take him away?”

 

“I thought that you might cause a shift in his priorities,” Rufus answered with a shrug.  “I thought that if I could convince you to work for me, there would be no conflict of interests and he’d never consider leaving the Turks.”

 

Reno looked back and forth between them, just as shocked by the president’s revelations as Cloud.  “So wait…did you think if I started screwing someone outside the circle I’d just up and leave?”

 

Rufus looked faintly embarrassed.  “I never claimed to be perfectly rational at all times, Fox.  I do have human flaws and jealousy happens to be one of them…at least when it comes to you.  Now that I’ve properly humiliated myself, shall we discuss what we’re having for dinner?”

 

Even more disturbing than the president’s unusual humility was the fact that Cloud was starting to feel sorry for the bastard.  Obviously Rufus wasn’t capable of expressing his emotions in a normal, healthy way.

 

“Well Cloud, what would you prefer?” Rufus said softly.  “Pizza?  Wutaian takeout?  Hamburgers?”

 

It wasn’t exactly an apology but Cloud figured that buying him dinner was Rufus’s roundabout way of trying to make up for the past.  “Pizza sounds fine to me,” he said with a trace of awe in his voice.  “Reno, is that cool with you?”

 

“I could go for pizza,” the redhead answered.  Inwardly, he began to make plans to help his two lovers settle the score between them.  Cloud and Rufus were the only two of his “harem” that didn’t get along and he wanted that to change.  Besides that, he hadn’t had sex in over a year and they were both too hot to resist.  Reno figured if he didn’t get some action soon he’d start humping furniture.  One way or the other, there was going to be some fucking going on tonight.

 

~**************************************~

* * *

 

“Where do ya think you’re going, Blondie?” Reno said after Cloud kissed him goodnight and started to exit the bedroom.

 

“I’m going out to the couch,” Cloud said with a shrug.

 

“No you’re not,” Reno insisted.  “You’re sleeping in here with us, man.”

 

Rufus paused in the process of taking his shoes off, looking up at Reno with surprise.  He and Cloud met one another’s eyes momentarily.  “Reno, I don’t think he wants to sleep with us,” Rufus said softly.  He climbed into the bed and reclined, trying to look relaxed but failing.

 

“Who said anything about sleeping?” Reno said as he unbuttoned his shirt and shot a lascivious grin at the president. 

 

“Oh no,” Cloud said firmly.  “I’ve already been down that road and I’m not going back.”

 

“Really?” Reno answered.  He opened the drawer of his nightstand and looked in, smiling with satisfaction.  “Not even if you’ve got the upper hand?”

 

Cloud and Rufus both wore identical expressions of wary confusion.  The president spoke first.  “Reno, I don’t know what you’ve got planned but I’ve learned my lesson when it comes to Strife.”

 

Reno lifted a pair of handcuffs out of the drawer and gave Rufus a conniving smile.  “Good.  So you’ve learned your lesson, but I must have forgotten mine, yo.”

 

Rufus eyed the handcuffs with a frown.  “What on Gaia do you think you’re doing?”  He began to edge away from the redhead, toward the other side of the bed.

 

“Just helping you two out, boss,” Reno said as he straddled him smoothly and kissed him.  “You had your turn, it’s only fair that he gets his, too.”

 

Rufus thought that surely Reno was kidding.  He thought his fox would never really carry it through and that he was just playing with him.  The redhead’s sensual kisses were distracting enough that Rufus didn’t consider that this was really no game to Reno after all.  By the time he understood that the Turk was serious, Reno had already positioned his wrists above his head.

 

*Click-click!*

 

Rufus’s eyes shot open as Reno broke the kiss and grinned down at him.  He tugged his arms and realized that his lover had passed the cuffs through the bar of the headboard before locking them in place.  He was quite thoroughly cuffed to the bed.

 

“You can’t be serious,” Rufus scoffed.  “Reno, undo these cuffs immediately!”

 

“Like that’ll convince him,” Cloud snorted from across the room.  He crossed his arms over his chest and studied the other blonde with interest.  “It’s kind of unsettling, isn’t it?  You don’t look very comfortable.”

 

“Reno, the cuffs,” Rufus insisted again, keeping his eyes on Strife.

 

“Sorry boss,” the Turk said with a teasing grin, “I don’t know where the keys are.  I guess Blondie’s gonna have to break you out of ‘em when he’s finished with ya.”  He looked over his shoulder at Cloud and beckoned to him.  “Well, baby?  He’s all yours.  What are you waiting for?”

 

Cloud almost refused, satisfied enough by the alarm on Rufus’s handsome features.  However, he finally had the chance to act on his unwilling attraction to the man and for once, he wasn’t restrained or drugged.  Rufus was putting on a good show of being reluctant but Cloud noticed the tent in the crotch of his pants.  The president was just as much at the mercy of his hormones as Cloud was.  He could hardly believe what he was doing as he approached the bed.

 

~*************************************~

* * *

 

-To be continued

 

 


	8. Chapter 8

“Guardian”

Chapter 8

~*******************************************~

* * *

*Disclaimer:  The world that this story is set in and all characters therein belong to Square-Enix.  This fiction piece is strictly a non-profit exercise of creativity and entertainment for people (like me) who can’t get enough of this world and the characters.* 

~***********************************************~

* * *

 

“You look a little nervous, Rufus.”  Cloud stopped at the foot of the bed and cocked his head to the side.  “I’m not going to hurt you…much.”

 

Rufus strained against the hold of the cuffs.  “All right, you two have had your fun,” he said in an impressively calm voice.  “That’s quite enough, though.”

 

Reno got a condom and a bottle of cherry flavored lube out of the nightstand, grinning at his boss as he shook his head.  “I don’t think it’s enough yet,” he said with a wink at Cloud.  “He hasn’t even gotten started, yo.”

 

Rufus squirmed as Cloud climbed onto the bed and stretched out on top of him.  “I’m not joking,” he growled. 

 

“Neither am I,” countered the fighter.  He slipped a hand between Rufus’s legs and squeezed his rapidly hardening crotch.  “You’re pretty stiff down there, for a guy that’s protesting as much as you are.”  He rubbed the president’s straining package and grinned when Rufus grunted with pleasure.  His lips descended to the other blonde’s throat and began to kiss and nibble the skin.  Rufus swallowed and struggled uselessly, gasping in spite of himself as Cloud kept massaging his cock.

 

“Mmm, you’re getting all flushed and sexy, boss,” Reno observed as Strife’s ministrations caused the president’s expression to relax into unwilling pleasure.  He lowered his head and kissed Rufus’s parted, gasping lips while his busy hands began to unbutton his shirt.  Rufus’s tongue thrust aggressively into Reno’s mouth and the redhead purred with delight.

 

Rufus bucked desperately as Cloud tugged his pants down.  His rigid cock was exposed and before he could struggle further, Cloud’s hand gripped it and began to stroke the length.  The fighter was squeezing it firmly and his calloused hand moved with practiced skill, making Rufus moan helplessly into Reno’s mouth.  The Turk got his shirt open and he began to fondle his nipples to hardness, grinning against his mouth when Rufus groaned. 

 

“Something tells me you’re gonna get fucked good and hard, baby,” Reno murmured as he broke the kiss.  “You ain’t used to being on bottom, I can tell.  Yo, do you have a virgin ass, boss?”

 

Rufus glared at him and didn’t answer.  Reno shrugged and kissed him again, darting his tongue out and licking the blonde’s lips teasingly until they parted and Rufus returned the kiss.  He was putting on a pretty good show of reluctance but the groans and gasps that kept escaping his lips told a different story.  Cloud grabbed the bottle of lube that was lying on the bed and he poured a liberal amount into his palm before rubbing his hands together.  Rufus stubbornly clenched up when he felt the other man’s fingers press against his hole, determined to deny him easy entry.  He tensed and grunted when he was breached despite his efforts.  Cloud’s soft lips were still nuzzling his throat and the fighter pumped his two fingers slowly and gently.

 

Rufus put up a valiant fight and stayed tense for as long as he could, but eventually the gentle thrusts felt too good to resist.  The president gasped as Cloud located his prostate and began to stroke it.  His hips bucked of their own accord and Rufus flushed with humiliation.  Reno was still kissing him with hot, eager lust and teasing his nipples, making it impossible for him to pull his thoughts together and complain further about what was being done to him.  Cloud’s fingers gave a hard push and Rufus’s back arched at the shock of sensation it sent through his pelvis.  He began to pant hard and fast as his two captors manipulated his body until he was throbbing and dilated enough for the final act.

 

Cloud stopped stroking inside of the president and began taking his clothes off.  Rufus was staring up at him with dazed gray eyes and Reno had his hand around his dick and was stroking him off.  The president’s heavy-lidded eyes followed Cloud’s motions helplessly as he removed his shirt and took his shoes off.  The tip of his cock was wet with precum and his chest was heaving with pleasure and need.  Rufus Shinra had never looked hotter than he did now, in Cloud’s opinion.  The golden-haired fighter put the condom on spread some extra lube over his dick, holding Rufus in his startling blue gaze.

 

“You still don’t want it?” Cloud murmured as he stretched out on top of Rufus and nipped at his throat.  He felt Reno’s hand moving against his belly, still fondling the president’s erection.  Rufus looked up at him with a conflicted expression on his face, clearly unwilling to give verbal consent but unable to say “no”.  Cloud grinned at him.  “Now you know how I felt.”  He slipped his hands under Rufus’s hips to angle him for penetration, then he slid his hands down the back of his legs and propped them up on his shoulders.  He didn’t thrust home immediately.  Instead, he rubbed the tip of his cock against Rufus’s entrance and watched his expression. 

 

The president instinctively rubbed against the teasing organ before he could stop himself and Strife’s smug, responding smile made him curse.  He was getting very close to orgasm and he licked his lips and moaned. 

 

“What do you want, Strife?” He finally asked when he regained enough control of himself to speak.  The fighter was still teasingly bumping against his entrance and it was driving him mad with frustration.

 

“The same thing you wanted when you had your way in the limo,” Cloud said huskily.  “Don’t you remember?”

 

The color drained from Rufus’s face.  As if all of this wasn’t humiliating enough, now Strife expected him to beg for it?  He hissed softly as Reno’s skillful touch made his balls start to tighten up.  The redhead squeezed the base of his dick firmly and grinned at him as he denied Rufus the final ecstasy. 

 

“Oh god,” Rufus gasped before he could stop himself.  “Reno, you are going to pay for this…I swear it!”

 

“Promises, promises,” the Turk said with a sharp grin.  “So boss, what’d ya want from Cloud when you did him?”

 

Rufus bit his lip and shut his eyes, stubbornly refusing to give the blonde fighter the satisfaction of hearing him ask for this.  Reno nibbled his ear and tweaked a nipple, his hard cock pressing against Rufus’s leg through the material of his pants.  “Yo, I’m starting to get impatient, here.  If someone doesn’t start fucking soon I’m gonna jump ya both.”

 

Rufus’s breath shivered in his throat at the hot threat and he could no longer stand it as Cloud’s cock rubbed steadily against his flesh.  “All right Strife, you win.  Fuck me, already.”

 

The look that Reno gave him was ecstatic and Rufus felt the color flood his cheeks.  He expected to see a superior smirk on Cloud’s face but instead, the other blonde lowered his mouth to his and kissed him with slow sensuality.  Rufus gasped into Cloud’s mouth as the fighter rocked forward and drove his cock in with patient ease.  It had been a while since Rufus last bottomed and he clenched his hands into fists as Cloud’s girth stretched him uncomfortably.  When Cloud was all the way in, he held steady and gave Rufus time to adjust.  He was certainly being more considerate than Rufus had been to him and the president wondered if it was on purpose or instinctive.

 

“Damn, you’re good Blondie,” Reno gasped suddenly, prompting Rufus to open his eyes.  Cloud was rubbing the Turk’s crotch with one hand and Reno relaxed and closed his eyes, enjoying the massage.  Cloud began to thrust inside of Rufus, slowly and gently at first.  Rufus groaned and his cock twitched as Cloud pushed against his prostate.  The fighter must have realized it because he kept thrusting in at the same angle after that.

 

_~Don’t start moaning…don’t start moaning!~_

 

Rufus’s desperate attempt to hold onto what remained of his pride and dignity failed him as Cloud began to pump harder.  The moans started against his will and they grew in volume and frequency despite his effort to control them.  Cloud’s lips were soft and gentle as the fighter kissed him again, which only served to destroy Rufus’s resolve further.  The sound of Reno’s gasps and whimpers, combined with Strife’s grunts and groans turned Rufus on even more.

 

“Shit,” Rufus panted as Cloud’s next thrust sent him over the edge.  He strained against the other man as he came hard against his stomach.  He moaned again as the orgasm continued for an abnormally long time.  Cloud kissed him deeply and kept steadily pumping, his breath quickening as he got closer to his own release.  When Rufus was spent and trembling beneath him, Cloud changed his rhythm and started taking the president hard and fast.  Rufus cried out as the other blonde slammed into him again and again.  It hurt and pleasured at the same time and before long, he was hard again.  Reno’s cock was freed from his pants and the redhead was panting softly and moaning Cloud’s name as the fighter stroked him off.

 

“Oh god baby,” Reno gasped, “Cloud…I’m coming.  Damn…feels so good!”  Reno clenched his teeth and hissed as he started bucking in Cloud’s hand.  The fighter didn’t lose his rhythm or slow his pumping as Reno shot his load.  The Turk sighed with satisfaction when his climax ended and Cloud released his softening dick.  He bent down and kissed Rufus, who was unable to contain his groans and cries.  “Don’t get yourselves all worn out, yo.  I want some of that action when you’re finished.”

 

Guessing that Cloud was getting close, Reno smirked and reached between the blonde’s pumping thighs.  Cloud tensed as the Turk massaged his balls and he tossed his head back and moaned as the rhythmic squeezing made him come.  “R-Reno,” Cloud panted as he spilled himself inside of Rufus.  He collapsed on top of the president when it ended, panting heavily against his ear.

 

Reno stroked the blonde’s back for a moment before opening the drawer on the nightstand, where he’d found the cuffs and protection.  He pulled out a key and grinned at his exhausted boss, who stared at the key with frustrated gray eyes.  “So I lied about not knowing where the key was,” Reno said with a shrug as he unlocked the cuffs binding Rufus to the bed. 

 

“Oh, you’re getting payback for this,” Rufus promised, wincing as Cloud slipped out of his body and stretched out beside him.

 

“It was worth it,” Reno answered with a wink.  “You gonna cuff me now, boss?”

 

Rufus smiled darkly at him.

 

~******************************************~

* * *

 

Cloud and Rufus recovered from the encounter and Reno got the promised payback very shortly after that.  Rufus not only used the Turk’s handcuffs on him but he also used a second pair from the closet to manacle his ankles.  In addition, the president got a ball gag from the box of goodies in the closet and he fastened it around Reno’s head firmly while Cloud gaped.

 

“Do all of you guys keep a box of toys like this, or is it just you two?”  Cloud stared at Reno, who was now naked and kneeling on the bed submissively.  The redhead looked at him and shrugged, mumbling something that Cloud vaguely interpreted as “Beats me.”

 

“Reno and I have the most…specialized taste of our little family,” Rufus answered as he fit the cock strap he’d grabbed over Reno’s dick.  The redhead whimpered softly as he secured the strap and gave his leashed prick a couple of firm tugs.  “The others do their share of playing but they aren’t quite as avid about collecting toys as we are.”  He smiled at the Turk when he stopped petting his cock and Reno moaned in protest.  “Something tells me your body remembers this, even if your mind doesn’t.”

 

Reno nodded and shivered with lust and anticipation.  His boss was right…he didn’t remember encounters like this but it felt natural to him.  He figured if he weren’t into this sort of thing it sure as hell wouldn’t feel so _right_.  Poor Cloud looked sort of awkward and uncomfortable though and Reno hoped he wouldn’t bolt. 

 

Unbeknownst to Reno, Cloud’s discomfort stemmed from his own body’s reactions to seeing him cuffed and gagged.  He flushed as he stared at the redhead’s lithe nudity and entertained thoughts of putting a dog collar around his throat.  Rufus positioned the Turk so that he was on his knees with his ass sticking up and his cuffed hands stretched down.  The position looked rather uncomfortable but Reno didn’t seem to mind.  If anything, his bright eyes seemed to glow brighter with lust.  When Rufus started preparing him, the Turk moaned throatily around his gag and pushed back against his thrusting fingers. 

 

Cloud stroked Reno’s bright hair as Rufus put a condom on and got into position.  The Turk cried out with pleasure as his boss drove his cock in, his cuffed hands squeezing the bedding desperately.  Rufus grunted in satisfaction and began to pump with firm, sharp strokes.

 

 _~Ah, hell,~_ thought Reno as the president fucked him, _~it’s a good thing he’s got this gag on me or I’d be screaming so loud the neighbors would probably call the cops, yo.  Shit…feels so fucking good!~_ Rufus drove in at the perfect angle, shoving against that sweet spot inside that made Reno’s eyes roll with pleasure.  The redhead groaned behind his gag and panted helplessly, his cock twitching in its restraint as it tried to ejaculate. 

 Cloud tried to calm himself down as he watched Rufus pound into the restrained redhead, but the muffled cries of pleasure Reno was making and the look on his face made it difficult.  He shifted uncomfortably and adjusted the sheet covering his lap.  Rufus glanced at him and smirked, seeing the prominent tent in the sheet. 

 

“You’ll have your turn with him, Strife,” promised the president in a breathless voice.  He closed his eyes and gripped Reno’s hips tighter, groaning with pleasure as he pumped steadily within the tight heat.  It had been far too long since he last enjoyed the redhead and he didn’t think he was going to last for much longer.  Nobody moaned like Reno and every pelvic thrust produced the sweet sound.  Reno began to beg him desperately as he continued to slam into his prone body.  Rufus reached down under the Turk’s hips and stroked his stiff cock, smiling as it bucked in his grasp and dribbled precum onto his fingers.  Reno began to scream, his body shaking as he strained against his cuffs and tried to move against Rufus.

 

“Have you learned your lesson, Fox?”  Rufus panted through clenched teeth.  He was close…so close.

 

Reno nodded desperately and mumbled another choked plea.  Rufus thrust once more and bowed over his lover’s arched back as he came inside of him.  He kissed Reno’s trembling shoulder and rubbed his back for a moment before withdrawing his spent cock and removing the condom.  He gave Reno a sudden smack on the ass, startling Cloud so bad that he jumped. 

 

“Uh, aren’t you gonna…you know,” Cloud said with a meaningful look at Reno’s swollen cock.

 

“No, you are.”  Rufus said pleasantly.  He dropped the used condom in the nearby waste basket and retrieved another one from the drawer, handing it to him.  “That is, if you want to.”

 

Cloud swallowed and took the unopened condom from him.  He hadn’t expected any of this to happen and the only thing stranger to him than what they’d been doing together was how easily he fell into it.  He’d been doing a lot of things he never thought he’d do, since getting involved with Reno.  He pulled the sheets aside and put the condom on, startled when Rufus leaned in and kissed him.  Evidently the president wasn’t holding a grudge against him for topping him earlier.  Cloud returned the kiss instinctively and cupped the back of Rufus’s head.  He’d never really gotten a taste of Rufus Shinra’s kissing skills until now and he was impressed as the other man’s tongue caressed his sensually.  He gave a little start as Rufus curled his fingers around his sheathed erection and stroked it a couple of times.

 

“You’re still skittish,” Rufus chuckled as he released the fighter’s cock.  “I suppose I’ve only got myself to blame for that.”  He pulled away and scooted up on the bed, pillowing Reno’s cheek on his lap.  He stroked the Turk’s hair with slow, smooth motions while he waited for Cloud to get into position.  Reno was still trembling and sweating, his pale body tense with need. 

 

Cloud lubed himself up to be sure he didn’t cause Reno any discomfort before he got behind the redhead and positioned himself.  Reno’s desperate little moan when he made the first thrust reminded Cloud about the cock strap.  He took a deep breath to calm himself and he reached down to free the redhead’s tortured dick.  Reno made a grateful sound of relief when Cloud unsnapped the strap and gently stroked his straining sex. 

 

Cloud began to pump his hips, gasping and sighing with pleasure as Reno’s body squeezed him snugly.  He gradually increased the force of his thrusts, being gentler than he had with Rufus earlier because he didn’t know how sensitive Reno’s body was now.  If the sounds of his moans were any indication, he was feeling things with greater intensity than before his accident and Cloud knew well the changes that Mako poisoning could make on one’s senses.  He kept fondling Reno’s erection as he took him, gasping encouragement to the Turk as he felt the tension in his body grow stronger with each pump of his hips and stroke of his hand.

 

Reno tried to call the blonde’s name but the gag distorted his cry.  Rufus was steadily combing his fingers through his hair and supporting his head in his lap.  Reno’s eyes fluttered closed as Cloud’s thrusting cock massaged him inside and made shocks of sensations flare in his pelvis and spine.  It was almost too much to take…especially after getting ridden so hard by Rufus.  He felt like he was hyper-sensitized and he began to scream again as the pleasure grew to an unbearable level. 

 

“Oh, Reno,” Cloud moaned as the Turk’s orgasm struck and his ass clamped down on his thrusting sex.  Gasping hotly, the fighter let the spasms coax his own climax out and he filled the condom with his spunk.  He put an arm around Reno’s waist and laid his sweating cheek against his back, breathing heavily in his release. 

 

Rufus took the ball gag out of Reno’s mouth so that he could catch his breath without obstruction.  The redhead panted raggedly and kissed him on the thigh, prompting a smile from him.  Cloud eased out of Reno’s body and disposed of the condom before lying down beside him and rubbing his back. 

 

“Are you okay?” Cloud asked uncertainly.

 

“Fuck yeah,” Reno panted, turning his head to smile at the fighter.  “I’m better than okay, Blondie.  That was great.  Ya both fuck like beasts, yo.”

 

Cloud flushed, remembering Reno telling him the same thing last year when he showed up at Tifa’s bar.  Rufus freed the redhead from his cuffs and lay down as well, sandwiching Reno between his body and Cloud’s.  The Turk sighed in content and Cloud and Rufus looked at each other wordlessly as he closed his eyes.  There was no turning back from what they had done and they both knew it. 

 

~********************************************~

* * *

 

The next morning, Cloud tried to leave before Rufus and Reno woke up but he ended up staring at the two of them and missing his chance.  The redhead’s phone rang, waking them both up and spoiling Cloud’s plans to retreat quietly.  Reno griped as he reached over Cloud’s body and grabbed the cell phone off of the nightstand. 

 

“Yo, Reno here.”  He paused and grinned.  “Hey, partner.  Yeah, they brought me home last night.  I think I scared ‘em a little with my flying but we made it in one piece, yo.  You coming over tonight?”  He paused to listen for a moment.  “What do ya mean, who?  Cloud, that’s who!  You didn’t think I was talking about Reeve or the doctor, did ya?”

 

Cloud almost spoke up to remind Reno that up until very recently, he and Rufus had been rivals.  Evidently Rude did that for him because the redhead grimaced a little.  “Oh yeah…I guess it’s a little shocking, when ya put it that way.  Don’t worry, man…everyone got along fine.”  He smiled again.  “What do you think I mean?”  Without warning, the Turk slid a hand under the covers and Cloud yelped as he groped his crotch.  The hand moved before Cloud could grab it and Rufus suddenly grunted.

 

“Quit your playing,” the president huffed.

 

“See?  I told ya I’ve got ‘em both with me,” Reno snickered into the phone.  “Yeah?  Here, I’ll take a picture, man.”  Reno flipped the phone and raised it high.  Cloud grumbled as the flash of the camera built into the cell went off without warning.  Reno chuckled and looked at the photo.  He’d shut his eyes just before snapping it and Rufus had an annoyed expression on his face, while Cloud was staring out from the picture with wide blue eyes.  “Okay,” Reno said, “I’m sending it to ya now, man.”

 

Cloud flushed with embarrassment.  Reno might be suffering memory loss but he was just as uninhibited and shameless as always.  “At least I was under the covers when you took it,” he mumbled.

 

“Mmm, I should have yanked ‘em down first,” Reno said with a wink.  To Rude, he said; “Yo, did ya get it?”  He laughed.  “Nice, huh?  Am I good or what?  Nah, I had to pull a little trick on the boss first, but—hey!”  Reno’s conversation abruptly ended as Cloud grabbed the phone out of his hand.

 

“He’ll call you back later,” Cloud said, “after I kick his ass for being such a damned pervert.”  He hung up the phone and glared at the redhead. 

 

“What’s wrong?” Reno asked with a sly grin, “You’re so shy, Blondie.”

 

“I don’t like my sex life advertised,” Cloud muttered.  “I know it doesn’t bother you but some things are private, to me.”

 

“Odd that you’d be so concerned about Rude getting a commentary, after the things that went on the night of our special party,” Rufus commented dryly.

 

“Yo, what ‘special party’?” Reno asked with an intrigued look.  Cloud was blushing madly and Rufus was smiling crookedly.   

 

“Your boss kidnapped me not once, but twice,” Cloud explained.  “The second time he got lucky because you told me what he was planning and I was going to turn it around on him, but you screwed up and ended up drugging us.”

 

“Huh?  How’d I do that?” Reno wanted to know.

 

“You intended to only drug me and your fellow Turks,” Rufus elaborated.  “You spiked our drinks with ecstasy to keep us too occupied to bother with Cloud.  Unfortunately for you, I figured out what you were doing and I set you up for a taste of your own medicine.”

 

Reno laughed.  “So what you’re saying is we ended up having a big fucking orgy, right?”

 

“It isn’t funny,” Cloud grumbled.  “I almost jumped out the window.”

 

Reno stared at him incredulously.  “Why would you do a dumb thing like that, baby?  What, would you rather die than have a little fun with us?”

 

“He wasn’t in his right mind,” Rufus answered.  “I suspect the goal wasn’t to kill himself, but merely to get away before it was too late.  Fortunately, we changed his mind before he could succeed.”

 

“That’s about right,” Cloud agreed, pressing his lips together.  “Look, I’m just not comfortable with you giving everyone all the little details about our…you know.”

 

Reno sighed.  “Okay, but I gotta tell ya, it’s gonna be hard for me to keep from bragging, man.  I wouldn’t want to blab about it if it wasn’t great, yo.”

 

Cloud lowered his eyes bashfully and shrugged.

 

~******************************************~

* * *

 

After getting a shower and getting dressed, Cloud tried to leave again.  Reno wouldn’t let him, though.  As soon as the redhead saw him heading for the door he intercepted him.

 

“What’s your hurry, Cloud?  Afraid of getting too comfy with us?”  Reno’s vivid eyes were knowing as he cut off the fighter’s escape.

 

Cloud glanced toward the kitchen, where Rufus was writing a list of groceries he intended to buy later that day.  “I’m just trying to give you a little private time with your boss,” he lied.  “You two have been together for a long time and I’m sure you’d like a little one-on-one time with him.”

 

“Man, you’re a sucky liar,” Reno snorted.  “You’re just spooked cause you ain’t hating him as much as you think you should.”

 

Cloud worked his mouth and stared at the Turk, wondering how in the hell Reno saw all of that.  “I…I’m not spooked,” denied the blonde.  “I’m just…I need to think for a while.  I mean, how is this supposed to work, Reno?  Trying to fit me in is like taking a square peg and trying to shove it through a round hole.”

 

Reno’s jaw clenched with anger.  “So what, now that you’ve fucked Rufus you ain’t sure you can be with me anymore?  Is it too damned easy for ya now, Strife?  It ain’t worth it if it’s not a complicated, fucked up mess, is it?”

 

Cloud was at a loss.  He’d never seen Reno this upset before and the Turk’s barbs were hitting uncomfortably close to home.  “Reno, it’s not like that.  Or at least, there’s more to it than that.”  Cloud tried to think of how to explain his concerns to the redhead without making him angrier than he already was.  “I’ve spent so many years fighting against ShinRa, and everything that’s good in my life never comes easy, understand?  I guess I’m just used to struggling and I need to think about things and get used to the changes.”

 

Reno sighed.  “What’s there to think about, yo?  We like you and you like us.  I don’t remember what all happened in the past but everything that’s going on now is what’s important to me.  I know how I feel and I know what I want, even if I don’t have a head full of memories to go with it.”  He stepped closer and threaded his fingers through the fighter’s soft, golden hair, locking eyes with him.  “You know what’s real to me?  This.”  He brought his lips to Cloud’s and kissed him with slow sensuality until the blonde responded and put his arms around him.  Reno held the kiss until Cloud was breathing heavily and flushed with passion.  He finally broke the kiss and grinned at the other man.

 

“Still wanna go?” Reno murmured.

 

Cloud shook his head and crushed his mouth against his, pushing him against the wall.  Reno groaned softly into his mouth and ground his hips against Cloud’s, gasping as the fighter’s hands grabbed his ass and squeezed it firmly.

 

Rufus emerged from the kitchen and found them locked together that way.  The president smirked and glanced at his grocery list.  “The two of you are going to need to come up for air soon, or we’ll never get this apartment stocked properly.”

 

Cloud released Reno with reluctance, breathing heavily as he turned to face Rufus.  He never would have thought in a million years that he’d end up shopping for groceries with the president of ShinRa inc and a Turk.

 

~********************************~

* * *

 

-To be continued

 


	9. Chapter 9

“Guardian”

Chapter 9

~*******************************************~

* * *

*Disclaimer:  The world that this story is set in and all characters therein belong to Square-Enix.  This fiction piece is strictly a non-profit exercise of creativity and entertainment for people (like me) who can’t get enough of this world and the characters.* 

~***********************************************~

* * *

 

Rude came over that night and Cloud was again uncomfortable and feeling slightly trapped.  The bald man didn’t say anything to him about his phone conversation with Reno that morning but Cloud felt his eyes on him.  Reno sat down on the couch with the other Turk and the two of them each opened one of the beers he’d picked up with the groceries.  Cloud considered leaving again when he grabbed a beer for himself and returned to the living room to join them.  All three of the other men looked up at him as he walked in and Cloud had to choose between sitting on the couch with the two Turks or sitting on the loveseat with Rufus.

 

Fortunately, Rude seemed to be too interested in his partner to pay much attention to the blonde and he only gave Cloud a polite nod before asking Reno how he was holding up.  Cloud sank gingerly down beside the redhead and he jumped a little when Reno reached out and squeezed his knee with familiar affection.

 

“I’m doing pretty good I guess,” Reno answered his partner, “I’ll just be glad when more of my memories come back, yo.  It makes me feel kind of detached, like I ain’t a whole person or something.”  He grimaced as he took his first swig of beer and he pulled the bottle away from his mouth and stared at it quizzically. 

 

“What’s wrong?” Rude asked.

 

“Tastes like a foot,” Reno muttered, smacking his lips.

 

“But that’s your favorite brand,” Rude frowned, “or at least, it used to be.”

 

“I guess the Mako poisoning did a number on my taste buds, too.”  Reno sighed heavily and shook his head.  “Well, at least I still like sex as much as I used to.”

 

“Why don’t you try my Vodka and cranberry juice instead?”  Rufus offered.  It had never been a favorite of Reno’s before, but he reasoned that if his sense of taste was altered that might change.  He got out of his seat and handed the drink to his subordinate for him to try. 

 

Reno took a ginger sip and rolled the liquid around in his mouth.  “See, that tastes pretty good,” he announced as he started to hand it back to Rufus.

 

The president shook his head.  “You finish that one.  I’ll make myself another one.”

 

“Thanks, boss.”  Reno sipped on the drink and waved his beer bottle back and forth between Cloud and Rude.  “Any takers?  I can’t finish it.”

 

Cloud declined, choosing to limit his alcohol intake.  It was going to take a while for him to feel comfortable around Rufus and the Turks—if he ever did.  He had to be wary around Reno simply because he was so tricky, but with Rude and Rufus there too he couldn’t relax.  It had been different when Reno was catatonic, because the only goal any of them had was to take care of him.  Now that he was relatively okay, priorities might shift. 

 

Rude took the bottle and set it aside for when he finished the beer he was already drinking.  “So has the doc given you any idea when you can come back to work?”

 

“Nah, everyone acts like I’ll break or something,” answered the redhead.  “He’s holding off on that verdict for a while.  I guess it makes sense with my memories all screwed up.”

 

Rude nodded and thought about it for a moment.  “I’ve got an idea…why don’t you come in with me tomorrow and we’ll squeeze off a couple of rounds in the firing range?  Maybe we could do a little sparring too and I’ll show you your office.”

 

“I’ve got a private office?” Reno asked with surprise.

 

Rude shrugged.  “Well yeah…you’re second in command of the Turks, partner.”

 

Reno grinned.  “Hmm, so you’re under me then?”

 

Rude flushed a little and shrugged.  “Don’t get cocky.”

 

Reno laughed and winked at Cloud.  “Hey Blondie, think I should take advantage?”

 

“Like you wouldn’t if I said ‘no’,” answered the fighter bluntly.  Reno gave him a delighted, feral grin and the blonde averted his eyes and sipped his beer.

 

“So Rufus,” Reno said to the other blonde, “have you ever taken advantage of your status with any of us?”

 

The president nodded slowly and gave him a crooked, sexy smile.  “There’ve never been any complaints.”

 

“Yo, I’ll bet there haven’t,” Reno said with a leer.  _~I’ll bet you’ve fucked me in your office at least a dozen times too, boss.  Damn…I wish I could remember all this stuff.  Who needs to watch porn when you’ve got a life like mine?~_

Reno noticed that both Rude and Cloud were blushing and he clicked his tongue.  “Aw, you’re both bashful.  Man, it doesn’t take much with you two, does it?  Don’t worry Cloud…you’re not a Turk so you’re safe from office sexual harassment, yo.”  He waggled his eyebrows at Rude, leaving little doubt that the same rule didn’t apply to him.

 

“So do you want to go shooting and sparring with me tomorrow or what?” Rude grumbled. 

 

“Oh yeah,” Reno agreed.  “And don’t forget the tour of my office at the end, yo.”

 

Cloud smirked with sympathy as Rude groaned and downed the rest of his beer.  He never knew Rude was shy until now—probably because with the exception of the night Reno drugged everyone, he’d never been around Rude except when fighting against him or taking care of the redhead. 

 

For the first time since Rude arrived, Cloud began to relax a little.  His encounter with Reno and Rufus the evening before had come as a surprise and he wasn’t ready to jump into anything with the other Turks…at least, not until he got to know them both a bit better.  He wasn’t unwilling to try for Reno’s sake but the fact that he was even considering it came as a shock to him.  It helped that Rude wasn’t trying to push anything, even though Cloud sensed his eyes on him a lot.

 

“I’m going to have to go back home tonight,” Cloud announced suddenly when the news came on the television and he saw what day it was.  He winced when Reno shot him an angry look.  “Quit being greedy…I’ve got my first delivery in months and I can’t afford to miss it.”

 

Reno sighed, realizing he was being a brat.  “Fine…I guess I can’t expect ya to let your business flop.”  The trip from Junon to Edge wasn’t far by helicopter, so he could fly him back by helicopter tonight and be back home before midnight.  “Boss, are you and Rude gonna hang out here while I get him home?”

 

“I think that one of us should go with you,” Rufus suggested with a frown.  “I don’t want you flying alone until you’ve gotten the hang of it again.”

 

“Why don’t you both come then?” Cloud said impulsively.  He raised an eyebrow with surprise.  He hadn’t expected to hear himself say that.  He would have expected to prefer just Rude going with, considering how new and fragile his situation with Rufus was. 

 

“Red’s not gonna crash us, is he?” Rude asked, only half-joking.

 

“Hey, we made it here okay didn’t we?” Reno huffed.

 

~**********************************~

* * *

 

Reno thought about his feelings of dependence on Cloud and the others as he flew the chopper toward Edge.  The blonde fighter was strapped into the front passenger seat next to him and Rufus and Rude were seated in the back.  For all his bluster and jokes, the redhead was feeling insecure and anxious.  He’d woken up sometime after Cloud and Rufus fell asleep last night, coming out of a nightmare of struggling in the Mako and feeling the burn as it seeped into his pores.  He’d snuck out of the bed and gone to the bathroom to wash his face and regain control of himself, without either of his blonde companions being the wiser.

 

 _~I guess it’s just gonna be this way for a while,~_ He reasoned as he glanced sidelong at Cloud.  _~I just don’t want to be alone and they make me feel safe, yo.  I’ll bet I was never such a wimp before this shit happened, though.  I’ll bet they never hung out at my place as much as they are now, too.  Now that I think of it, I haven’t been alone since I woke up.  Someone’s always there, yo.~_

Reno started to descend outside of Edge, reluctant to let Cloud go but knowing he couldn’t keep him from his business or his family.  The Turk didn’t really resent Tifa and the kids because he knew Cloud’s relationship with her was strictly platonic, and it wasn’t Denzel and Marlene’s fault that they were orphans.  He’d just have to settle for what he could get from Cloud, instead of pining that the guy wasn’t more accessible. 

 

“Okay Blondie,” Reno sighed as he touched down a little roughly.  “See?  I’m already doing better with the flying.”

 

“Yeah, you’ll get your skills back with a little practice,” Cloud answered encouragingly.  He stared at Reno with soft blue eyes for a moment, contemplating.  Finally he shrugged and muttered: “what the hell,” before reaching out to cup the back of the Turk’s head and draw his lips to his. 

 

Reno smiled against the fighter’s mouth and returned the kiss.  “So you’re gonna give me a call when you finish your delivery, right?” Reno insisted when they broke the kiss.

 

“I’ll call you,” Cloud promised.  “Maybe on the weekend I can come visit again.”

 

“Lookin’ forward to it,” agreed Reno sincerely.

 

Cloud unbuckled his safety belt and grabbed his small duffle bag with his extra clothes and one of his smaller swords in it.  He was just about to open the door and exit the chopper when Rufus suddenly snuck up behind him.  He hadn’t seen the president unbuckle his seat belt or move and Cloud jumped in reaction to the feel of the other man’s fingers sliding into his hair.

 

“I’m going to quote you, Cloud,” Rufus murmured with a faint smirk as he leaned over him and drew his head back.  “’Unclench’.”  His lips pressed against his and Cloud went still with surprise for a moment before hesitantly returning the kiss.

 

_~He’s one persistent bastard, I’ve got to give him that.~_

Cloud was a little breathless when the president broke the kiss.  “Uh…yeah.  So, see you later!”  He grabbed his duffle bag and opened the door while Rufus maneuvered himself to take his place in the front passenger seat.  The last thing Cloud saw before he turned to hop out of the craft was Rude’s expression, which almost made him laugh.  The bald man’s eyebrows were raised and his mouth was open.  Clearly, the idea of he and Rufus being intimate was just as hard for Rude to fathom as it was for Cloud.  Just as he was hopping out, Cloud felt a hand smack him on the ass and he yelped and stumbled outside the craft.

 

“Hey!” Cloud snapped, glaring over his shoulder at Rufus.  The president gave him a smug, satisfied grin and shut the chopper door.  He saw Reno wave at him from the pilot’s seat and he sighed before turning around to walk into the city.  “Man, I really opened a can of fucking worms last night,” he muttered to himself as the chopper slowly lifted off the ground again.  “I think I’m doomed.”

 

~************************************~

* * *

 

The next morning, Reno went with Rude and Rufus to work.  Or rather, they traveled in the same car and Rufus went his separate way once they were in the office building.  Rude was immensely curious about what happened the night Rufus and Cloud took Reno home but he was too disciplined and reserved to ask his partner questions.  He’d really thought that Reno had just convinced the boss and Strife to go along with a little prank when he’d sent the photo of the three of them in bed together.  After watching Rufus lay that kiss on Cloud and swat him on the ass last night, he revised his opinion and he really wanted to know how they managed to get Strife’s cooperation.  .

 

Deciding that he could ask him about it later, Rude concentrated on getting Reno back into a more normal routine The first thing he did was take the redhead to the cafeteria for some breakfast.  They ran into Elena there and she took a seat at the table and ate with them.

 

“So are you back now?” the blonde woman asked eagerly as she studied Reno.  She was a little tickled that both Rude and Reno were wearing shades now.  She knew that Rude had light-sensitive eyes but she hadn’t been around during any of the times Reno opened his eyes or since he woke up.  She’d heard that the Mako poisoning gave him the same glow as SOLDIER eyes and she was curious.

 

Reno noticed her barely concealed curiosity and he shrugged and pulled his shades down a little, peering over them at her.  He chuckled as the blonde woman gasped and dropped her jaw.  “Don’t flip out, yo.  I know they look funny but they’re still just eyeballs.”

 

“I just didn’t expect them to be so bright!” Elena replied.  “I mean, I’ve seen the Soldier eyes do that but…wow!”  She studied him for a moment and shrugged.  “It’s kind of pretty, once you get used to it.”

 

He replaced the shades and shrugged.  “If you say so.  Anyway, I’m not back yet.  They ain’t letting me come back until I’ve recovered more.  Rude’s just showing me around and taking me shooting today.  Hell, maybe it’ll jog my memory more, who knows?”

 

“Hope so,” Elena said with a sympathetic look.

 

They finished their breakfast and Elena joined the two of them in the indoor firing range.  Tseng was there when they arrived, which was a pleasant surprise to Reno.  He hadn’t visited with the Wutaian since the day he woke up and he really enjoyed his calm, soothing voice and velvety black eyes.  The Turk Director smiled at Reno when he saw him coming in with Rude and Elena.

 

“It’s a pleasure to see you up and about so soon, Reno,” He studied the redhead for a moment and nodded with satisfaction at his coloring and poise.  “You look well.  I trust you’re having a bit of practice, today?”

 

“Yeah,” Reno grinned as his partner handed him a pair of noise muffling headphones.  “I didn’t expect to see so many of my posse down here this morning.”

 

“I picked today because I knew it was one of the days Tseng comes down to shoot,” Rude said.  “Thought you’d like to see him again when he’s not bogged down with work.”

 

“Busy, huh?” Reno frowned.  “I guess that’s sort of my fault, yo.”

 

Tseng cocked his head to the side.  “Your fault?  Why, because you’re still on sabbatical?”  The Wutaian put his hands on Reno’s shoulders and squeezed gently.  “I can handle the extra work until you’re in the condition to return.  In the meantime, just enjoy your time off and take care of yourself.”

 

Tseng paused when he spotted a metallic flash under Reno’s open collar.  He smiled softly and reached in to lift the Yen Yang pendant that the redhead was wearing around his neck.  “You’ve kept it, I see.”

 

It took Reno a second to realize that Tseng must have given the pendant to him when he was sick.  He felt the oddest attack of shyness as the Wutaian’s fingers brushed against his collarbone and he shrugged and lowered his eyes.  “So you gave this to me, huh?”

 

“I did,” Tseng confirmed with a nod.  He released the pendant and straightened the other man’s collar.  “It made me feel…like I was somehow there for you even when I couldn’t be.”  The sensitive mouth frowned and Reno remembered how Tseng had cried when he woke up.

 

“Thanks, man,” the redhead said with a little smile.  “I think it helped, yo.”

 

~*************************************~

* * *

 

Rude couldn’t resist being a little intimate with his partner when they finished selecting their firearms and setting up for the session.  He knew that Reno would instinctively understand how to operate his gun but he went into his booth for a moment and stepped up behind him.  His assumption that the redhead wouldn’t mind him putting his arms around him and guiding his hands was correct.

 

“Is this familiar to you?” Rude murmured against the smaller man’s cheek.

 

Reno was a little surprised that he was able to hear his partner through the headphones.  He grinned and nodded, pressing back against the bald man’s tall form with covert affection.  Rude clicked off the safety and took advantage of the relative privacy of the booth.  He nuzzled the redhead’s neck and he smiled when Reno shivered in response.

 

“Squeeze the trigger, don’t pull it,” Rude said as he forced himself to end the contact and back off.

 

Reno shot a look over his shoulder at the taller man and gave him a suggestive grin.  “Squeeze it, huh?”

 

Rude smiled at him and crossed his arms over his chest with a nod.  “That’s it.  How’s the target distance—want me to bring it in a little closer?”

 

Reno peered at the bulls-eye far down the track and shrugged.  “Seems fine, yo.”  He lifted his pistol and took aim, firing one neat shot before tilting his head and grinning as inspiration struck him.  He followed up with several more shots and Rude gaped at him, impressed by how quickly and confidently he fired the weapon.  Whether he managed to be accurate or not was yet to be seen, though.  He pulled on the switch and brought the target in.

 

“What the hell?” Rude muttered when the sliding target was close enough for him to see the bullet holes.  “Holy shit!  Tseng, Elena, you’ve got to see this!”  He abruptly reached out and yanked the cardboard bulls-eye off of its clip, leaving Reno staring after him with a puzzled frown on his face.

 

“What’s the matter?” Tseng shouted as he poked his head out of his own booth.  Elena likewise leaned out of the booth besides his to stare at the uncommonly excited bald man.

 

“Look at what he did,” Rude answered as he stopped outside of Tseng’s booth and shoved the target in his face.

 

Tseng’s dark eyes scanned the bulls-eye incredulously and he shared a look with Elena and raised an elegant brow.  Reno came around from his own booth and looked at them with a combination of irritation and confusion.

 

“What?” The redhead asked.

 

~************************************~

* * *

 

Rufus was considerably startled when Tseng came into his office—not because it was unusual but because the Wutaian jogged across the floor with an excited expression on his face.  The president put aside his paperwork and stood up, concerned for his lover.  He didn’t get the chance to ask him why he had such an odd expression on his face.  Tseng slapped a cardboard bulls-eye on top of Rufus’s desk and nodded at it insistently.

 

“Sir, I really think you should consider talking to the doctor about allowing Reno to come back to work early.”

 

Rufus looked down at the target and picked it up, holding it up to the light.  He frowned in confusion as he saw the pattern of the bullet holes.  “Is this…did he shoot the ShinRa logo into this bulls-eye?”  Rufus’s gray eyes were mystified as he turned the target in his hand and admired the perfect spacing and symmetry of the peppered holes.  There was no mistaking it—Reno had literally drawn the diamond logo with his bullets.

 

“How far away was the target when he did this?” Rufus inquired, his eyes meeting Tseng’s.

 

“It was at the end of the track,” answered the Wutaian succulently.

 

Rufus stared at him in disbelief. 

 

~*************************************~

* * *

 

“Why is everyone freaking out over it?”  Reno sipped the cocktail Rude bought for him in the company lounge and shrugged.  “I mean, wasn’t I a good shot before?”

 

“You weren’t a suck shot,” Rude answered, “but I don’t even think President Shinra could have been so accurate and he’s the best shot I’ve ever met…except maybe for Valentine.”

 

“Okay, so my vision and aim is better,” Reno shrugged.  “Big deal!  I already feel like a freak show without you guys flippin’ out over a few bullet-holes, yo.”

 

Rude took his glasses off, then Reno’s, and looked him in the eye.  “You don’t get it partner, it wasn’t just _good_ , it was _amazing_.  You haven’t even been out of your coma for a week yet and you’ve got full use of your body.  Do you know how unusual that is?  You should be in rehab but you’re bouncing around like nothing happened.  We just want to know what’s going on with you, that’s all.”

 

Reno swallowed a hefty gulp of his drink and snagged his shades back from his partner, fitting them over his eyes hastily.  “So what’s your theory, man?  You think I’m turning into some kind of mutant?”

 

“No,” Rude said firmly.  “I think that dunk in the Mako gave you a few enhancements, like the members of SOLDIER.  Look at Strife…he’s had Mako poisoning twice and he fights like a bat out of hell.  He even said you might have sharper senses when you woke up.”

 

The bald man’s phone rang and he pulled it out and put it to his ear.  “Rude speaking.  Yes Sir.  Right away.”  He hung up and frowned at Reno.  “Finish your drink, partner.   
Rufus sent for the doc and he wants you checked out right away.”

 

“Great,” Reno groaned. 

 

“Don’t look so down, Red,” Rude said seriously.  “This could lead to you coming back to work sooner than you thought.  That’s what you want, isn’t it?”

 

Reno brightened a little.  “Yeah, that’s what I want, yo.”

 

~***************************************~

* * *

 

Two hours later, Reno was exercising in the gym.  Dr. Keller was there, observing while the redhead punched and kicked at a six-foot punching bag, with Rude holding it steady for him.  Rufus put his work on hold to observe as well and ask questions.

 

“Do you think he should be brought into the lab for testing?” the president murmured.

 

“In ordinary cases of Mako enhancement, I would say yes,” the doctor replied, “but Reno’s infusion wasn’t a controlled process and while we’ve developed an inhibitor, its usefulness seems to be limited to the treatment of the catatonic state.  I think what would be best for him now is to monitor his vitals and see what he can do.  If he’s not suffering any pain or illness then I don’t see the point in medicating him.”

 

Rufus nodded.  “I assume he shouldn’t be left alone.  You mentioned mental trauma once.”

 

“Yes, that’s my biggest concern,” Dr. Keller agreed.  “His experience was probably terrifying enough, without the added condition of his memory loss.  He clearly wants to return to work and I don’t blame him, but I’m not convinced he’s ready.”

 

Reno heard the whole conversation and his anger spiked when Keller refused to agree to change his mind about his job.  The redhead launched a violent kick at the punching bag and he heard his partner grunt, just before the chain connecting the bag to its brace snapped.  Rude went down and the bag landed on top of him.

 

“Oops,” Reno yelped as Rude groaned and struggled to lift the heavy bag off of his body.  “Shit, I’m sorry man.  You okay?”  He rolled the bag aside with effort and helped the bald man to his feet.  Rufus and the doctor were staring and he flushed and straightened Rude’s glasses on his head. 

 

“What if he returns under the stipulation that he works with his partner at all times?” Rufus suggested with a grimace.  “Somehow I don’t think forcing him to be idle is any better for him than overdoing things.”

 

Rude cleared his throat and brushed his suit off, while Reno lifted his shades and crossed his arms over his chest.  The redheaded Turk took full advantage of the Mako effect in his eyes and glared at the doctor expectantly.

 

Keller wasn’t a man to back down easily but he wasn’t a fool, either.  “I can agree to that,” he said slowly, “on a trial basis.  I’d like to do some testing as well—nothing strenuous, I just want to do blood tests and chemical counts.  Reno, would that satisfy you?”

 

“I can live with that,” agreed the redhead.  He wasn’t sure if he’d just hit the punching bag right to make it break free of the chain or if he was stronger.  Truthfully, he didn’t feel exceptionally strong.  He thought Rude could still easily win an arm-wrestling match with him.  If there was improvement in his abilities it was in his dexterity, vision and speed—along with an understanding of leverage and gravity that he guessed he probably didn’t possess before.  He told the doctor as much before Keller left.

 

“Mako enhancements tend to magnify pre-existing attributes in the subject,” Keller explained.  “It makes perfect sense to me.  According to your boss and coworkers, you were already fast and limber before this happened.  We’ll need to determine if these changes are permanent or temporary and you’ll need adjustment time, regardless of whether they are or not.”

 

“As long as I’m not treated like a baby or stuck at home, I’ll cooperate with ya,” Reno shrugged.

 

~*****************************************~

* * *

 

That night, Rude stayed with him.  Reno apologized to him again for knocking him down and the bald man shrugged stoically and assured him he was fine.  They stopped at a service station on the way back to Reno’s apartment and Rude bought him a pack of cinnamon flavored gum.

 

“It used to be your favorite,” the taller man explained when Reno looked at him questioningly.

 

The redhead cautiously opened the pack and unwrapped a stick of the gum; wary since the last beer he’d tried nearly made him upchuck.  He put it in his mouth and chewed slowly.  His expression lit up and he looked at his companion with a grin.  “Yup, still like it.  Thanks.”

 

Rude gave him one of his quiet smiles and started the car.  “I missed that smile, Red.”

 

 “I’m pretty sure I missed yours too, partner.”  Reno guilelessly scooted closer and rested his head on the bald man’s shoulder.  Rude put an arm around him and nuzzled his vivid hair.

 

~*************************************~

* * *

 

That night, Reno had another nightmare and this time, he didn’t wake in time to get out of bed before the screaming began.  He flailed in the darkness, trying to stay surfaced, fighting against the current of the thick liquid that pulled his body further and further away from everyone and everything he cared about. 

 

“Reno, wake up!” 

 

Strong arms held him tightly and he felt the tickle of Rude’s facial whiskers against his skin.  He opened disoriented eyes and shuddered, hearing his own ragged screams dying in his ears.  “Rude,” gasped the redhead desperately, clinging to the warm, brown body pressed against his.  “Fuck…don’t go anywhere!”

 

“Shhh, I’m not moving, baby.  You’re okay.”  Rude’s calloused hands rubbed his back and his lips caressed his face.  “You’re safe at home now, Red.  Just let it out.”

 

Reno didn’t want to “let it out”.  He worked with Rude and he didn’t want the man to see him so weak.  A flash of memory came to him then and he remembered his mother.  Reno went still and his eyes widened as he vividly recalled Lena Flynn’s death and Cloud Strife showing up to be with him.

 

“Oh god,” Reno moaned, the tremors starting up again as his emotions boiled to the surface.  He’d been putting off going through his photo albums because he knew there was someone really important he couldn’t remember and he was afraid.  Now he knew why.  He’d forgotten is own mother!

 

“It’s okay, man,” Rude soothed as Reno trembled violently in his arms.  “You’ll hurt yourself if you just hold it all in.  Hell, if I can cry in front of Strife and Lockheart, you can cry in front of me.”

 

The soft encouragement confirmed Reno’s suspicions that he’d always refused comfort from his own coworkers, but he couldn’t hold it in anymore.  Sharp, tearing sobs shook his body and he pressed his face against Rude’s chest and muffled them as best as he could.

 

“How could I forget her?” Reno sobbed; feeling like his heart was shattering.

 

Rude knew immediately whom he was referring to and he held him more tightly.  “It’s not your fault, partner.  You can’t push yourself and you can’t blame yourself for what you can’t help.”  It was easier to say it than do it, he knew.  He’d silently apologized himself to Mrs. Flynn’s spirit for failing to get to Reno before he fell into the Mako.

 

Reno cried against his chest for a good long while, letting out his trauma and pain even though he didn’t want to.  Rude kept stroking his back and his hair while he murmured softly to him and kissed him.  After a while, Reno’s sobs finally slowed to sniffles and when he’d calmed enough, Rude released him long enough to go to the bathroom and get a damp washcloth to clean his face.  When he came back, he was a little unsettled by the way Reno’s glowing eyes were all he could see of him in the darkness.  Rude carefully got back into bed with him and turned on the lamp.

 

“Don’t look like that,” the bald man said as he wiped the drying tears off of his partner’s face.  “There’s not a damned thing for you to be embarrassed about, Red.”  He ignored the faint greenish tint of Reno’s tears and pressed a soft kiss against his trembling lips.  “If I was as close to my Mom as you were, I’d be just as upset.  You remember her now though, right?”

 

Reno nodded and swallowed, closing his glittering eyes and sighing with exhaustion.  His fair features were blushing lightly with humiliation and Rude smiled at him and shook his head.  “Like I said, don’t be embarrassed.  Turks still love, man.”

 

 “Yeah,” Reno agreed in a hoarse whisper as he opened his eyes again to regard his partner.  “I guess we do, don’t we?”

 

Rude put the washcloth on the nightstand and drew Reno into his embrace, running his free hand gently over his arm and side as the redhead cuddled against him.  After a while, Reno’s deep, easy breathing told him he was asleep.  Rude kissed his partner’s forehead and reached out to shut off the lamp, sighing into the darkness.

 

_~Wish I could take it all for you, Red.  All I can do is be here though.~_

~**********************************~

* * *

 

-To be continued


	10. Chapter 10

“Guardian”

Chapter 10

~*******************************************~

* * *

*Disclaimer:  The world that this story is set in and all characters therein belong to Square-Enix.  This fiction piece is strictly a non-profit exercise of creativity and entertainment for people (like me) who can’t get enough of this world and the characters.* 

~***********************************************~

* * *

 

Reno was thoroughly embarrassed the next morning when he awoke and remembered how he broke down the night before.  Rude was spooned up against his back and the redhead laid there for a while and plotted ways to sneak out of the bigger man’s embrace and leave the apartment before he woke up.  He shifted experimentally and gingerly tried to remove his partner’s arm from around his waist, but Rude only held him more tightly and murmured against his hair.  Reno went still again when he heard the other man mumble inquisitively, trying to pretend he was asleep.

 

“Reno, you awake?”

 

“Mmph,” he responded vaguely, hoping he sounded convincingly sleepy.  He felt his partner’s lips nuzzle his temple and the short stubble of his neatly trimmed facial hair tickled his skin.  Goosebumps sprang up on the redhead’s forearms and a tingle of pleasure raced through his body.

 

“We’ve got the day off,” Rude murmured against Reno’s ear.  He kissed him lightly there, provoking further arousal.  “The only thing we’ve gotta do today is stop by the doctor’s office later on for you to have a little blood drawn.  We can put that off until this afternoon, if you want.”

 

Reno shrugged.  “That’s cool.”  He bit his lip as he swelled in his pajama pants.  He knew that Rude was one of his intimate partners but the man seemed so reserved most of the time, he wasn’t sure how to behave around him.  Evidently Rude was interested in fooling around at least a little, because one of his large, calloused hands was sliding around Reno’s waist to the front of his body to caress the taut muscles of his stomach.

 

“Is this too fast?” Rude asked with gentle patience as he kissed the other man’s neck.  Overall, Reno’s personality was much the same as before and he sure as hell didn’t hesitate to take both Rufus and Strife to his bed that night—though how he managed to get them to cooperate was a mystery to the bald man.  Logically if Reno felt comfortable enough with them, he should feel comfortable enough with him too, but the doctor had warned them all that Reno’s moods were likely going to be unstable for a while, thanks to the trauma he had endured.  He didn’t want to push for too much, too fast.

 

Reno hesitated for a moment and shook his head, closing his eyes.  He didn’t want to look at the other man and see pity in his eyes.  Rude stopped despite his nod of consent and went still, prompting Reno to turn his head and look at him reluctantly.  “What’s up?”

 

“You seem kind of tense,” Rude answered, his brown eyes staring into Reno’s searchingly.  “Don’t put on an act for me, Red.  If you’re not into it, just say so.”

 

Reno saw the hurt lurking behind his handsome partner’s eyes and he furrowed his brow and made himself blurt out the truth.  “It ain’t that.  It’s…last night.  I shouldn’t have acted like that, man.  I just feel kinda stupid and I kind of wanna crawl into a hole somewhere.”

 

Rude snorted.  “You’re still worried about that shit?  Reno, I told you; it’s okay.  Everybody’s got to vent sometimes and if you can’t do it with your pals, who can you do it with?”

 

Reno smirked a little.  “I just feel like a puss.”

 

Rude shook his head, his expression completely serious.  “You’re not made of stone, partner.  If that’s all that’s wrong then we’re doing good.  Now get over this issue you’ve got with us being here for you.”  He kissed him before he could protest, probing gently but firmly with his tongue as the redhead’s lips parted.

 

Reno’s embarrassment for his behavior the night before faded in the face of hot lust.  The insistent, slow thrusts of Rude’s tongue in his mouth made his pulse race familiarly.  He responded to the kiss with eager desire, caressing the bald man’s invading tongue with his own.  A little gasp blurted from Reno’s mouth as Rude’s warm, strong hand slipped down under the waistline of his pants to grip his swelling erection.  It began to stroke him slowly and Reno squirmed with restless pleasure, pressing his ass backwards against Rude’s tightening crotch.

 

Rude almost stopped again, surprised at how fast his partner was responding.  It shouldn’t have thrown him the way it did because Reno was still Reno, after all.  He supposed he was bracing himself so hard for abnormal behavior that he wasn’t prepared for the norm.  Rude couldn’t stop a soft groan of need as his partner rubbed against him invitingly.  He squeezed Reno’s cock a little more firmly and moved his hand up and down the length of it slightly faster. 

 

“I want you,” Rude murmured against his lips unnecessarily. 

 

“Ditto on that, baby,” Reno gasped.  “You know where I keep the stuff, right?”

 

Rude nodded and scooted away a little so that he could coax the lusty redhead onto his back.  “There’s no hurry, Red.  Let me touch you for a while, okay?”  He pulled Reno’s pajama pants off and looked down at the other man admiringly, scanning his lithe body with appreciation.  “It’s been so fucking long since I’ve had the chance to put my hands on you like this.  I feel like I could pop, but I wanna enjoy every minute of this.”

 

“That’s kind of dramatic, yo,” Reno said with a teasing smirk.  “It ain’t like you’ve been celibate the whole time, right?”

 

“No,” Rude confirmed with a slight smile, “but I haven’t had you.”  With that said, he lowered his mouth to his partner’s again and kissed him deeply, taking his hand off of his member for the time being so that he could explore other parts of his body.  He ignored Reno’s groan of frustration and slid his hand up his torso, lightly chafing the pink nipples with his palm.  He pushed Reno’s hand away when the redhead started to do some exploring of his own and he stopped kissing him to gaze down at him sternly.

 

“Not yet, partner.  I’m already too horny for you to play around like that.”  He caught hold of both Reno’s wrists and pinned them over his head with one hand, nipping lightly at the skin of his pale throat as he stretched out on top of him.

 

Reno’s breath caught and he forgot to argue.  The feel of the bald man’s powerful body pressing him into the mattress was fantastic.  He strained experimentally against Rude’s hold on his wrists, but his grip was like a vice and Reno couldn’t budge it.  Of course, he wasn’t truly trying to break his hold but he had doubts that he could even if he did put his full strength into it.  It turned him on even more and he arched his throat and growled softly, shifting his pelvis beneath Rude’s to rub against him.

 

“Ah, Red,” groaned the bald man painfully.  He wasn’t exaggerating when he’d told Reno he couldn’t handle further stimulation from him—he worried that he’d cream his boxer shorts just from rubbing against him.  He held the slimmer man’s wrists together over his head with one hand while using the other to satisfy his need to stroke his body.  Reno squirmed just enough to entice him and Rude sucked on the skin of his neck until he left a mark.  He fondled a nipple to hardness, then moved on to the other one and did the same.  Those appealing sounds he’d missed so much began to escape Reno’s parted lips with greater frequency and passion, while a wanton flush crept over the redhead’s high cheekbones.

 

“Rude…don’t make me wait anymore,” Reno begged breathlessly when his partner’s calloused hand curled around his stiff cock again and stroked it.  He was dribbling steady drops of precum as the bald man fondled him, getting closer and closer to the edge of control.  He arched his back as the throbbing pleasure grew and he bucked his hips when Rude stroked the slick cap of his dick.

 

The desperate whimper Reno made invoked a combination of lust and love in Rude and the bigger man shushed him and fondled him more gently.  “Not yet, baby.  Calm down for me.”  His voice sounded ragged with need to his own ears.  Reno struggled visibly to comply, his body shuddering with pleasure and need and his bright eyes glittering hotly from under heavy lids.  Rude kissed his gasping lips again, tracing them with his tongue as he slowly pumped his hand up and down his rigid cock.

 

“Oh god…Rude, I don’t wanna wait anymore!” Reno was tossing his head and struggling against the bald man’s restraining hold with greater effort than before. 

 

Sensing that he wouldn’t be able to keep his partner restrained for much longer if he kept this up, Rude plunged his tongue into his mouth once more to muffle his pleading cries and he released his wrists so that he could reach out for the drawer on the nightstand.  “Easy, Red.  I’m gonna get us both ready now,” Rude promised against his lips when the other man’s freed hands immediately began to tug his boxers down.

 

Reno feverishly ran his hands over his partner’s muscular body as soon as he got the boxer shorts yanked down.  The hard knots of muscle bunched and relaxed alternately under his hands and a delighted expression bled into his features when his hand located and fondled Rude’s jutting cock.  He’d had a feeling that Rude was hung well but his exploration confirmed that he was exceptional.

 

“Damn, you’re hung like a mule,” Reno gasped as he stroked the impressive organ.

 

“Which is why you’ve got to calm down and let me get us ready,” Rude insisted huskily, pushing into Reno’s gripping hand instinctively.  He planted a quick, soft kiss on the redhead’s lips as he found the lube and dangled it over him.  “Here, put some of this on my fingers.”

 

Reno obeyed, unsurprised by Rude’s nonchalant, practical attitude concerning his size.  Rude wasn’t the sort of man to posture and despite his intimidating appearance, he seemed to be very considerate and gentle with his lovers.  It was so familiar and comforting to Reno, while at the same time so sinfully hot.  He squirted out a healthy sized glob of lube and smeared it thoroughly over his partner’s first two fingers.  Hell, the digits alone were probably going to stretch the hell out of him; Rude’s hands were big from fingertip to palm.  Reno relaxed his body as much as he could when the bald man brought his hand down between his legs.  He winced in spite of himself when one lubed finger sought entry to his body and pushed in slowly, but the other man was careful not to push too hard or deep and the discomfort faded quickly.

 

  “Mmm, that’s good,” Reno encouraged as his pleasure grew.  Rude brushed against his prostate and he sucked in a sharp breath and kissed the bald man hotly.  “Do that again, baby.”

 

Rude suppressed a prideful smile and obliged him, admiring the way his teeth worried his lower lip as he fought a moan.  He carefully inserted a second finger and pushed deeper, which provoked a shudder through Reno’s body and caused him to gasp his name. 

 

“Let me know if I hurt you, baby,” Rude murmured as he kissed his partner’s parted lips.  Reno was the only sexual partner he’d ever had that he referred to as “baby”.  It wasn’t that the redhead was feminine, vulnerable or even innocent…it was just that Reno was so fucking hot to him that he felt the word just had to be used once in a while.  It suited him, more than it could ever suit anyone else in Rude’s life.

 

“You ain’t gonna hurt me,” Reno panted, shifting his pelvis to draw the other man’s fingers more deeply into his body, “feels great.”  His eyes closed and he tensed and moaned as the big fingers stroked that spot inside of him again.  “Oh god…you’re gonna make me come, Rude!”

 

Ideally, Rude would have preferred for his partner to orgasm during the final act, but he was confident that he could get Reno hard again when he fucked him.  He kissed the pale, arching throat and pressed firmly against the spongy lump inside of the redhead.  He could tell that the action made his partner see stars because Reno screamed his name raggedly and his ass clamped hard around his fingers as he climaxed.

 

“Rude…oh fuck, Rude,” cried Reno as he shot his load.  The bald man’s facial hair chafed against his skin as his partner kissed him hard and kept thrusting as the orgasm ran its course.  Reno clutched at his broad shoulders and sucked in great gulps of air.  When it tapered off, Rude withdrew his fingers and gave him one more kiss before reaching for the condom packet he’d gotten out of the drawer and sitting up to open it.  Reno watched him as he caught his breath, admiring the sight of him sliding the rubber down over his big, flushed cock. 

 

“I wanna be on top,” Reno said on sudden inspiration.  He wasn’t afraid that Rude would hurt him—he just thought of how good it would feel to ride that big brown beast and it was too tempting a thought to resist.  He wasn’t sure that Rude would agree; he couldn’t remember whether his partner liked to have complete control or if he was flexible.  His answer came in the form of a quiet smile and a nod of consent from the bald man and he returned the smile and struggled into a sitting position.

 

“Hold on a sec Red,” the bald man warned in his deep voice as Reno immediately started to straddle his lap.  “We’ve got to lube me up too.”

 

“Oh yeah,” Reno answered, still a bit winded from his recent climax.  “I guess I’m being kind of greedy, yo.”

 

“I don’t mind you being greedy,” Rude answered with a husky laugh, “what I do mind is you getting hurt because we got careless.  Where’d the lube go?”

 

Reno twisted around and searched with near desperation.  He found the tube right where he’d left it—lying on the pillow next to where his head had been a moment ago.  He reached for it and unscrewed the cap again, hastily squirting a large glob onto his palm before capping it and tossing it aside again.  “Can’t wait to ride you,” Reno announced in a breathless, husky tone as he rubbed the gel between his palms and looked into his partner’s brown eyes.  Rude’s hands rested on his waist to steady him as the redhead shifted and reached down to lube his rigid cock.

 

Reno watched his partner’s face as he gripped his erection firmly and proceeded to slick the lubricant over it.  He smirked when Rude’s eyes closed and his face tensed with obvious pleasure.  He leaned forward and traced his lips with his tongue as he used both of his hands to massage the throbbing organ.  When Rude’s lips parted on a gasp, Reno slipped his tongue into his mouth and explored delicately. 

 

He gripped the base of the other Turk’s cock with his right hand and rather than sliding it up and down the shaft, he twisted it so that it was massaging back and forth.  While he did that, his left hand was stroking up and down the tip.  He broke the kiss to study the other man’s reactions to his touch and his smirk returned in full-force when he saw the ecstasy apparent on Rude’s face.

 

“Sh-shit,” Rude gasped after a moment, unable to contain the exclamation.  Reno’s technique was entirely new to him and he didn’t know if the redhead had just come up with it spontaneously or if he’d simply never thought to use it before.  It felt so good he knew he’d have to put a stop to it soon, or he’d end up coming in his hands.

 

“Like that, baby?” Reno asked with a soft growl of excitement.

 

“God, yes,” Rude agreed breathlessly.  He threaded his fingers into the long strands of hair spilling down Reno’s back and tugged just enough to force his head back, exposing his throat.  Rude sucked greedily on the skin there, right next to a raspberry mark already forming from his earlier attentions.  He grunted softly as Reno’s ministrations brought him dangerously close to orgasm and he was forced to reach down with his other hand to grip one of his partner’s wrists to still it.

 

“It’s too good,” Rude panted when Reno mumbled an inquiry, “I want to come inside of you, Red.”  He licked his partner’s arched throat once more and breathed a sigh of regret when Reno complied and quit stroking him off.  They were both lubed enough to move on, so Rude let go of his companion’s hair and put both hands on his narrow hips to guide him.  “Do you think you’re ready?”

 

“Fuck yeah,” answered Reno eagerly.  He rose up enough to guide the member he still gripped, moving with instinctive skills.  When he felt the tip of Rude’s cock butting against the right spot, he released the base of it and began to sink down.  His lips rounded and his auburn brows furrowed with concentration and a bit of discomfort as he eased the head in.  Clenching his jaw, he bore down to help his body open for his partner.  He couldn’t stop himself from letting out a sharp gasp when the resistance gave and Rude slipped in, but the sound was as much from pleasure as pain.

 

Rude held still for a few moments, letting Reno direct the pace while he supported his hips with his hands.  He studied his partner’s tense, fair features and softly encouraged him to take it slow.  Reno nodded and managed a little smile, kissing him sensually on the mouth.  Rude groaned into the kiss as the redhead eased down further, slowly taking him into his tight heat.  He released Reno’s hips and put his arms around him, pressing his cheek against the smooth skin of his slim-toned chest. 

 

Being comatose for so long and thus celibate, Reno had tightened up and despite his earlier care and preparation, Rude could feel the redhead’s body quivering around him.  He’d always been a snug fit but the extended inactivity had put him back into an almost virginal state of resistance.  He heard a soft whimper and he pulled back to look at Reno, concerned.

 

“Don’t try to take me in like it’s only been a couple of days, Red.”  Rude brought one hand up to stroke a few strands of vivid hair away from Reno’s sweat-beaded forehead.  “It’s been a long time since we were last together.  Your body probably still has some re-adjusting to do.”

 

Reno almost argued that he hadn’t had this much trouble with Rufus or Cloud, but thought better of it.  Open relationship or not, he didn’t want to risk spoiling the mood by making comparisons. 

 

_~Besides that, Blondie and the boss aren’t hung like Rude.  Sure, they’re hung better than average but this guy’s in a league of his own.  Jumping back on the horse ain’t as easy when your baby’s hung like one, yo.~_

“Yeah, you’re right,” Reno agreed aloud as he slid his hands over the hard pectorals of Rude’s chest and stopped trying to force himself down.  “I just fucking want you so bad…it’s hard to take it slow, man.”

 

Rude put his hands on his hips again to support him as well as keep him from easing down too fast.  This was why he’d intended to have sex with Reno “missionary” style; so that the energetic redhead wouldn’t hurt himself in his vigor.  “Maybe we should change positions,” Rude suggested haltingly. 

 

Reno shook his head and moaned as he sank down further.  “I wanna ride you and that’s that.”

 

Rude’s mouth twitched on a grin.  “That stubborn streak of yours hasn’t changed, baby.”  He cupped Reno’s ass and admired the firm feel of it for a moment before guiding him slowly.  “How’s this?”

 

Reno closed his eyes and nodded as his partner angled him and made the breach go more smoothly.  “That’s…oh…that’s better.”

 

Actually, it was more than “better”.  Reno didn’t have to pause further, thanks to Rude’s support.  He didn’t rush it but before long, it was all the way in and he moaned softly as it rested against his prostate.  He put his arms around Rude’s neck and brought his mouth close to his ear as he began to rock gingerly.  His breath caught and he gasped his partner’s name as Rude gently thrust his hips in conjunction with his movements.  Reno began to harden again at a rapid pace and with Rude’s guidance, he fell into a smooth, easy rhythm.

 

“Unh…so big,” Reno groaned, but now his voice was full of pleasure instead of discomfort.  Rude’s mouth sought out his and he gladly responded, darting his tongue against the bald man’s and parting his lips to give him access.  Rude’s grip on his ass tightened and his breath quickened as he picked up the pace.  The bigger man gave a firm thrust that made Reno cry out and become completely erect, then he released one of the cheeks he was cupping and dragged his hand around the redhead’s hip to the front, reaching between his spread thighs.  He began to stroke Reno’s swollen dick and the redhead’s moan of gratitude was muffled against his mouth.

 

Many things were going through Rude’s mind as he took his partner—most of them concerning how irresistible Reno was to him and how glad he was to have him back again.  Many things may have changed but the sly redhead was still as passionate, stubborn and witty as ever.  Rude hadn’t expected his partner to be so at ease with him or any of the others, considering that he only had a precious handful of memories concerning them.  He’d expected to have to rebuild a relationship with him, but somehow the redhead had retained his feelings for all of them, even if he couldn’t recall the memories.  Strange as it was to know that his partner was acting on feelings with little or no accompanying memories, he was thankful.

 

Rude broke the kiss and looked into Reno’s abnormally vivid eyes, holding his gaze as he pumped his hips and stroked him off.  “Missed you,” he panted.

 

_~”Missed you”?  Hell, I fucking LOVE you.  But you already know that, don’t you Red?~_

Reno gave him a familiar, dazzling smile and Rude remembered the first time he’d smiled at him like that.  He remembered thinking it was the sweetest smile he’d ever seen on a guy’s face before and he remembered thinking it was such a paradox for a guy like Reno to smile like that.  He couldn’t help it…he embraced his partner tightly with his free arm and nuzzled his chest.  Clearly Reno understood the underlying meaning in Rude’s declaration that he’d missed him.

 

He felt Reno’s body growing more and more tense against his and he listened to his breath shiver.  Clenching his jaw as he tried to hold back his climax, Rude gripped his partner’s cock more firmly and pumped his hand over it faster.  He smiled against Reno’s chest when the redhead cried his name in a shaken voice and the organ twitched in his hand.  He felt Reno’s cheek rest against his head as the orgasm came full-force and suddenly the redhead was holding onto him tightly and groaning non-stop. 

 

There was a warm, wet splatter of cum against his torso and the feel of his lover’s gripping heat going into spasms around his impaling length, and then Rude bellowed hoarsely against the sleek chest he was pressed against.  He bucked inside of Reno several times, filling the condom he wore.  He unconsciously rocked his partner as his breath shuddered in his throat and his body trembled with bliss.  Reno’s chest heaved against his cheek and his embrace relaxed.  His long fingers were stroking Rude’s back and shoulders in a caressing way that tickled pleasantly.

 

Briefly, Rude wondered if Reno ever basked in the afterglow this way with any of the others.  There was something quietly tender in his touch and embrace that a man like Reno wasn’t likely to share easily with others.  He pulled away from his chest and looked at him, admiring the flush of rapture on his sweaty face.  His bangs were damp with perspiration and strands were sticking to his skin, but it didn’t seem to bother him.

 

Reno inadvertently echoed his partner’s silent thoughts.  “Man, I’m glad we don’t have to go to work today,” he mumbled in a winded voice.

 

~**********************************~

* * *

 

The two of them spent most of the day making up for lost time.  After recovering for a bit from their first encounter, they had sex again.  After that, they showered together and Reno gave Rude a blow job—which Rude immediately reciprocated afterwards.  They made lunch and they barely got through eating it before they were all over each other again.  Amazingly, it was Reno that was the voice of responsibility when they started cleaning up the mess from lunch and ended up making out.

 

“Hey partner, wait a sec,” Reno murmured against Rude’s lips.  “I’ve still gotta see the doc and get some blood drawn today.  If we keep going like this I’m never gonna get over there, yo.”

 

Rude already had the other man’s shirt unbuttoned and he had just pressed him against the refrigerator and started on his fly when Reno’s rare moment of practicality struck.  He sighed and pulled away, reaching up to adjust his shades.  “You picked a shitty moment to get responsible, Red.”

 

Reno gave him a lopsided grin.  “Sorry.  I just want to get it over with, man.  I also wanna make sure there’s nothing else wrong with me, you know?”

 

“I know,” Rude agreed with a nod, feeling guilty for being so selfish.  “I want to make sure you’re okay too.  My libido got the better of me, man.”

 

Reno looked down at the tented crotch of his own pants and smirked.  “You don’t have to tell me anything…I’ve got boyscouts camping in my pants too.”  He realized what that sounded like and he grimaced.  “Uh…forget I said that.”

 

Rude snorted with amusement, both at his partner’s tongue slip and the way he was blushing now. 

 

“Ya know I was talking about the tent action, right?” Reno said with raised eyebrows.  “Boyscouts pitch tents, right?  I wasn’t talking about kids getting down my pants, yo.”

 

Rude pinched his lips and nodded.  He cleared his throat and tried to speak with a straight face.  “I understood the metaphor.” 

 

Reno buttoned up his shirt and grumbled as a chuckle escaped the other man’s lips.  Thankfully, Rude let it go and he didn’t pick on him about his slip-up except to give him occasional, amused glances.

 

~*******************************~

* * *

 

Reno suffered through the checkup and getting his blood drawn with minimal complaint, though he could think of at least twenty other things he’d have rather been doing.  “So how’s it looking, Doc?”

 

The doctor glanced up at him as he labeled the vials of blood he’d drawn.  “Everything seems to be in working order, though I’d say your reflexes are much better than average.  I can’t tell you more than that until the bloodwork is finished.”

 

Reno shrugged and finished buttoning up his shirt.  “It ain’t like I’m going anywhere, yo.  I’m just happy to be getting back to work.”

 

“About that,” the doctor said with a frown, “I want you to be careful and pay close attention to your body.  Don’t overdo it and if you feel anything strange at all, you’re to come in for tests immediately.”

 

Reno rolled his eyes at Rude, but the bald man was nodding in agreement with the doctor.  He sighed.  “Fine, fine.  I’ll let you know right away if I start feeling funky.  Right now I feel pretty great, though.”

 

“That’s a good sign,” replied the doctor evenly.  “Let’s hope it stays that way.”

 

~*******************************~

* * *

 

Cloud had just returned home from a delivery when his cell rang.  He took it out and his heartbeat picked up when he looked at the number.  He flushed a little at how eagerly he brought it to his ear.  “Hi Reno.”

 

“What’s up, Blondie?” the Turk’s voice answered.  “Thought I’d give you a call and let you know so far, everything’s looking good on my health record, yo.”

 

“That’s great,” Cloud said sincerely.  “So there haven’t been any…uh…changes?”

 

Reno paused for a moment.  “Well, yeah…little ones.  I don’t think it’s a big deal but my posse tripped out on me.  The day after I dropped you off in Edge I went to work with Rude and I guess everyone was surprised by how good I shot on the firing range.  I guess I wasn’t that good before?  Anyhow, the doctor says I’ve got some pretty amazing reflex action happening.”

 

Cloud thought about that and he nodded.  It made perfect sense that someone who was already as nimble as Reno would have enhanced dexterity from the Mako.  “How are you coping with that?” he asked softly.

 

“I dunno,” Reno said hesitantly, “on the one hand, it feels natural to me but I know it ain’t.  Sometimes I go to grab something too fast and I end up knocking it over because I can’t judge my speed…does that make any sense?”

 

“I think so,” Cloud answered with a slight frown.  “I remember having a little trouble adjusting to my strength when I came out of it.  Don’t worry, I think you’ll get used to it after a while.  You just need to practice and get to know your own body again.”

 

“Hmm, practice, huh?” Cloud could hear the grin in Reno’s voice.  “How about you come and give me some training sometime, Strife?  I work best with hot young blondes, yanno.”

 

Cloud surprised himself by chuckling at the teasing suggestion.  Something had definitely changed in his relationship with Reno.  Everything seemed easier now and he couldn’t fight his affection for the redhead anymore.  “What makes you think I can help you?” he asked.

 

“’Cause you’ve been through all this shit before,” answered the Turk immediately, “You know how to deal with it and how to get used to the changes.  A few pointers and some friendly sparring with ya might do me some good, yo.”

 

Cloud admitted to himself that the idea had its merits, even as he admitted to himself that part of the appeal was in spending time with the redhead.  “I guess it couldn’t hurt.  When do you want to start on this idea of yours?”

 

“Hmm, I dunno…how about next week?  You could stay with me while you’re here.”

 

Cloud considered this.  He could offer for Reno to come and stay with him but he didn’t know how well Tifa would take that.  It wasn’t that she had any issues with whom he slept with but Reno’s career choice was another matter.  She wouldn’t want him around any more than necessary, out of fear that he might be a negative influence on the kids.  Shrugging, he decided Reno’s suggestion was the better option.

 

“Okay.  I’ve got one delivery at the beginning of the week, but I can head your way after that.”  He bit his lip and wondered if his voice sounded as eager as he felt.

 

“Great!” Reno evidently had no compunctions about expressing his own enthusiasm.  “I’ll see ya Monday then, hot stuff.”

 

“See you then,” Cloud agreed with a faint smile.  He hung up the phone and glanced up to see Tifa standing in the hallway.  By the look on her face, she’d heard some of the conversation and was doing her best to hide her curiosity.  He gave her one of his hesitant smiles. 

 

“That was Reno,” he said unnecessarily, “He’s having some trouble adjusting to the way the Mako changed his reflexes.  I’m going into Junon next week to help him out for a while.”

 

“How long?” Tifa asked in a falsely casual tone.

 

“I’ll be staying the whole week,” answered Cloud softly, averting his sapphire eyes.  “It’s going to take that long to see if I can make any difference.  If it helps, I might organize more sessions with him until he’s adapted.”

 

She nodded, her eyes saying that she understood his feelings and why this was so important to him.  “He’s lucky to have someone like you watching over him,” she said, smiling at him.

 

Cloud smiled back, relieved that she wasn’t going to lecture him on the dangers of being involved with a Turk.  “Let’s hope so.”

 

~*****************************************~

* * *

 

“You’re overcompensating,” Cloud advised when Reno’s block failed.  “You’re a lot faster than you used to be and you’re anticipating my moves too soon.”

 

Reno stepped back and regarded his sparring partner while they caught their breath.  Cloud had only been in town for one day, but he was all business and he’d insisted on getting started right away.  While the Turk understood and was grateful, he was also annoyed.  He didn’t get to see Cloud as much as he’d like and he’d had other plans for the blonde’s arrival.

 

“What do ya mean, I’m ‘anticipating too soon’?”  Reno asked in frustration.  “I mean, the sooner the better, right?”

 

Cloud put his hands on his knees to aid in catching his breath and he smirked at Reno.  “I guess I didn’t say it right.  Anticipation is good, but you’re acting too fast.  You were trying to block my move before I even made it, so I got past your guard.  Your body and mind aren’t in synch, is what I’m trying to tell you.”

 

Reno sighed and grimaced with frustration.  Cloud straightened up and closed the slight distance between them to put a hand on the Turk’s shoulder.  His sapphire eyes were earnest as they gazed into his.  “It’s okay.  You’ll catch on eventually.  You’ve just got to get used to these enhanced senses you’ve got now and learn to work with them, instead of against them.”

 

“How long did it take you?” Reno inquired, remembering the day Zack was killed and the sight of Cloud dragging himself and his friend’s sword back to Midgar, against all odds.

 

“It took a few days to get my speech working right and get back my basic movement,” Cloud answered with a thoughtful frown.  “It took longer to get used to my new strength and speed.  To tell you the truth, I didn’t totally know what I was capable of until I faced off against Sephiroth in the Northern Crater.”  He managed a smile for Reno.  “You’re a quick study though.  If I can do it, you can too.”

 

Reno shrugged.  “If you say so.”  He saw Rufus and Tseng enter the training room and he smiled.  “Ready for another round, Blondie?”

 

Cloud nodded and fell into a fighting stance.  “Ready when you are.”

 

Reno made a few passes at him, taking it a little slower this time.  He found he was able to control his limbs a bit better than before and he managed to knock Cloud off his feet with a sweeping kick before the blonde could anticipate the move, but Cloud quickly rolled to his feet and tackled Reno before he could gloat.  The redhead nimbly squirmed out from under his opponent and dove aside, just as he lunged for him again.  Cloud noticed that they had an audience and he was distracted enough by the realization to give Reno the upper hand.  Never one to practice good sportsmanship, the redhead took the opening and tripped his opponent up again—this time following up by pinning him to the floor.

 

“Looks like I win this round,” Reno teased as Cloud blinked up at him with dazed blue eyes.  The blonde strained and bucked beneath the Turk’s straddling form and Reno clucked his tongue and adjusted his weight to make it harder for Cloud to dislodge him.  He knew he couldn’t hold a man of his strength down for very long but he was enjoying the effort, nonetheless. 

 

“So what’s my prize, Cloud?”  Reno bowed over his captive and nibbled his earlobe, unconcerned that both his superiors were watching the encounter.

 

“Uh, we’ve got an audience,” Cloud muttered uncomfortably as his muscle shirt bunched up and exposed part of his stomach.  He knew he shouldn’t have agreed to do this in ShinRa Headquarters.  It felt odd enough just walking casually into this place, but he was acutely uncomfortable with having the President and the leader of the Turks watching them.

 

“So?” Reno said with a grin.  “What’s it gonna hurt?”

 

“Reno,” Cloud hissed in a warning tone, his face heating as the redhead nuzzled his neck.

 

“What’ll ya give me if I stop?” Reno purred as he ground his hips against Cloud’s.

 

“I’ll let you decide when we go back to your apartment later,” Cloud said almost desperately.  “Just cut it out!”

 

Reno laughed darkly at that.  He hadn’t told Cloud yet, but he’d been steadily getting trickles of memories back concerning past encounters and conversations with the fighter.  A particularly interesting one concerned Cloud in a dress.  “Anything I want, eh?”

 

Cloud looked at him warily, as if realizing his mistake.  “Shit,” he muttered.

 

~***********************************~

* * *

 

They sparred for a while longer before calling it quit for the day and getting cleaned up.  Rufus and Tseng waited for both of them to come out from the locker room and to Cloud’s surprise, they offered to treat them to lunch.

 

“The cafeteria isn’t bad,” Rufus explained as he watched Cloud zip up his duffle bag, “but the seafood restaurant the next block over is fantastic.  Do you like seafood, Strife?”

 

Cloud studied the president warily.  _~I could be imagining it, but I’d swear he looks nervous.  Is he up to something?~_

“Seafood’s okay,” Cloud answered softly, taking pity on his former rival.  It was going to take a while for him to start trusting Rufus even a little bit.  Still, Cloud couldn’t see any reason for Rufus to plot something now.  He decided to give the other blonde the benefit of the doubt, though it was very strange to imagine Rufus Shinra nervous about anything.  It helped that Tseng was with him—for some reason, Cloud found it easier to trust the Wutaian.

 

“Excellent,” Tseng said.  “It’s only a short walk from our building, so we can go as soon as the two of you have put away your things in your lockers.  Rude is unfortunately away on assignment, so he won’t be joining us this time.”

 

“Uh, thanks,” Cloud said as graciously as he could manage.  As if it wasn’t weird enough to be welcomed in the ShinRa building, having his own storage locker was even stranger.  He followed Reno and located his locker, briefly going over the combination code in his head before twisting the dial.

 

“You ain’t comfortable with this, are ya?” Reno murmured with a sidelong glance at him.  He put his bag into his locker and closed it, then turned to face Cloud full-on.  He’d put his shades on to conceal his vivid eyes but his expression was openly curious.

 

“It’s a lot of changes to take in,” Cloud agreed with a slight smirk as he put his duffle bag in and shut the locker.  “Don’t take it personal or anything.”

 

Reno shrugged.  “I’m not.  I know we gave you and your pals a pretty hard time back in the day, and vice-versa.  I just don’t want you to go all skittish on me and bolt, yo.”

 

“I’m not going to bolt,” Cloud scoffed, crossing his arms over his chest.  “I told you I’d help you and I’m not going anywhere until I do.”

 

“What about after that?” Reno insisted, cocking his head a little to the side.  “I mean, once I’ve got the hang of this new shit I can do, are you gonna take off and make yourself scarce?”

 

Cloud stared at him.  _~He’s really afraid I’ll want nothing else to do with him when we’re finished with all this.  What happened to Mr. Casual?~_

 

He realized something then; Reno had really fallen as hard for him as he had for the Turk.  None of it was an act.  The redhead kept looking at him expectantly, a slight frown pulling at his usually smiling mouth.  Cloud stepped closer and reached out to push his shades up, so that he could look him in the eye. 

 

“This won’t end with our training,” Cloud promised softly.  “At least, I don’t want it to.”

 

Reno gazed at him silently for a minute before a slow grin curved his lips.  He reached out and straightened the collar of Cloud’s leather jacket, his bright, blue-green eyes lowering.  “Good thing you said that,” he replied, “’Cause I’d hate to turn into a stalker, man.”

 

~*******************************~

* * *

 

Cloud felt very out of place in the restaurant that Rufus and Tseng took them to.  He hadn’t anticipated the need for any formal wear, so he was the only patron in the place wearing denim jeans and a leather jacket.  He got a few cursive glances but everyone seemed to know the Turks, so nobody dared to so much as stare at him for long.  They were shown to a table beside a giant aquarium and Cloud busied himself with the menu.  When he saw the prices of the appetizers alone, his jaw dropped.

 

“Holy shit,” he muttered before he could stop himself.  One entrée alone was worth a day’s pay to him.  He glanced up at Rufus uncomfortably, who had paused in sipping his water and was gazing at him with quiet interest.

 

“Is there something wrong with the selection, Cloud?”  Rufus’s lips quirked, indicating that he knew damn well what had provoked the outburst.

 

 _~Showoff,~_ Cloud thought jadedly.  He understood what Rufus was doing though…the man was preening.  He was trying to impress in the only way he knew how.  It was a little funny, now that Cloud thought about it.  Money never had impressed him but he didn’t have the heart to tell Rufus he was wasting his time.  On an instinctive level, he knew it had taken some courage for the president to invite him to lunch so he took pity on him again.

 

“Let’s just say I hope you’re paying for this meal,” Cloud said with a slight flush of embarrassment.

 

“Of course,” Rufus answered with a genuinely puzzled frown.  “Why would I invite you if I didn’t intend to cover it?  Choose whatever you like.”

 

Cloud swallowed and looked over the menu again.  In a few short moments, he found himself facing yet another predicament.  He didn’t understand what half of the titles or descriptions meant.  Covertly, he leaned toward Reno, who was seated beside him.  “I don’t get it,” he admitted in a whisper as he pointed at one of the listings.  The word “lobster” was all he comprehended.  “What’s ‘mornay’ sauce?”

 

Reno glanced at the menu and chuckled softly, certain that at one time, he was probably just as green as Strife when it came to fancy dining.  “That’s a creamy sort of cheese sauce they pour over it.  It’s real good…you’d like it.”

 

Cloud relaxed a little.  Well, he did like cheese and he couldn’t remember the last time he’d ever sank his teeth into lobster.  “I think I’ll stick with that,” he said with relief.

 

“Good call,” Reno agreed.  “I think I’m gonna go with the snapper.  Hey boss, can we get some oyster appetizers?”

 

“I wouldn’t think of going without them,” Rufus answered with a faint smile.  “I assume you won’t be wanting the beer you used to drink?”

 

Reno grimaced.  “Nah, I think I’ll stick with a tropical smoothie.  What about you, Cloud?”

 

It didn’t feel quite right to drink beer in a place like this, but Cloud wasn’t sure what sort of mixed drinks went well with seafood.  “I’m not sure,” he answered truthfully.  “I’m not really a wine drinker…”

 

“Do you like tomato juice?” Tseng inquired.  “If so, I’d recommend a Bloody Mary.  It goes quite well with lobster.  Otherwise you could try a whiskey and lemonade or gin and tonic.”

 

Cloud was flustered, unable to decide between the drinks that Tseng had listed.  Rufus smiled indulgently and said; “Why not try them all?  We’re sure to have more than one drink throughout the meal anyway.”

 

“I guess we can do that,” Cloud agreed.  After all, if Rufus was willing to pay for it, who was he to turn it down?  He just had to remember to keep his eyes on his drink at all times.

 

_~Oh, quit it.~_

Cloud bit back his annoyance, reminding himself that he had every reason in the world to mistrust Rufus.  Hell, he had every reason in the world to mistrust Reno too, but he was beginning to feel safer around the redhead.

 

The waiter arrived and to Cloud’s further relief, Rufus took care of ordering for everyone.  He ordered the drinks first, then appetizers and finally the entrée’s.  A few minutes later the drinks arrived and Cloud began to suck his down faster than he intended.

 

“I was very impressed with what I saw of your sparring today,” Tseng said conversationally to Cloud and Reno.  “I think being matched against another Mako enhanced person is just what Reno needs to hone his abilities.”

 

“Let’s hope so,” Cloud said softly.

 

Reno sensed his discomfort so he brought up the latest news, edging the conversation into world events.  The appetizers arrived, composed of a dozen oysters on the half-shell, two servings shrimp cocktails and a plate of crab legs.  Reno noticed that Cloud wasn’t touching the oysters and he grinned at him.

 

“Never had raw oysters before, Blondie?”  He dashed a bit of red sauce into the one he held and tipped the shell, letting the oyster slide into his mouth.  He savored the taste for a bit before swallowing.

 

“No, they’re too weird,” Cloud answered truthfully.  He selected a shrimp and dipped it in cocktail sauce before eating it.

 

Both of the Turks and Rufus chuckled at Cloud’s words.  “Remind me never to offer to make him sushi,” Tseng said with a smile.

 

“You should try at least one,” Rufus insisted, picking an oyster up and squeezing a lemon wedge over it.  He followed up with a dash of the sauce Reno had used and then he leaned over the table and offered it to Cloud.  “It’s harmless, I promise you.”

 

“They’re good,” Reno agreed, watching Cloud look warily from the shiny gray matter inside the shell to Rufus.  “I know they look funny but well…you’ve swallowed worse, right?”

 

“Great, now I’ve got peer pressure,” Cloud muttered as his face heated.  “Feels like the days at the academy again.”

 

His companions laughed again and Rufus waved the oyster under his nose, his gray eyes challenging and amused.  Cloud sighed and opened his mouth, allowing the president to tip the shell and deposit the dubious treat into his mouth.

 

“Don’t fully chew it,” Tseng instructed, “It should slide down quite easily on its own.”

 

Cloud made a face at the texture against his tongue and swished the shellfish around a little, then gulped it down.  It wasn’t so bad…it actually tasted pretty good.  He sighed in relief that it was over, however. 

 

“Well done,” Rufus congratulated, clapping his hands softly as if Cloud had pulled off a daunting fighting move.  “How did you like it?”

 

Cloud nodded and rinsed the food down with a swallow of his drink.  “Not bad,” he admitted.  “I’m not much for the texture but it tasted okay.”

 

“Never be afraid to try new things,” Rufus suggested.  By the light in his eyes, he wasn’t entirely referring to food.

 

Cloud wondered if his face was as red as his cocktail.

 

~***********************************~

* * *

 

-To be continued


	11. Chapter 11

“Guardian”

Chapter 11

~*******************************************~

* * *

*Disclaimer:  The world that this story is set in and all characters therein belong to Square-Enix.  This fiction piece is strictly a non-profit exercise of creativity and entertainment for people (like me) who can’t get enough of this world and the characters.* 

~***********************************************~

* * *

 

Cloud was thankful that they had walked to the restaurant, because by the time they were finished with the meal, he had a slight buzz.  Rufus kept insisting on buying different drinks, not only for him but for everyone.  When the check came, Cloud had consumed six different kinds of mixed drinks and Rufus and Tseng had gone through three bottles of wine.  Oddly enough, Reno drank the least of all of them.  Cloud softly remarked on that, asking him if he was feeling okay.

 

“I’m fine,” Reno assured him.  “I just wanted to keep my wits in case you got smashed.  You started slurring after your third one, Goldilocks.”

 

Cloud was too buzzed to be embarrassed.  He shrugged it off and noticed that Rufus was unsteady on his feet as he stood up to go to the Men’s room.  “I guess I’m not the only one,” Cloud whispered loudly to Reno with a meaningful nod at Rufus.  He noticed that Tseng looked unusually muzzy-headed too and he frowned.  Something was off about that.  He knew that both of them had a higher alcohol tolerance than this.  He brushed it off as inconsequential.  After all, it had been a long time since he’d been in a drinking situation with either of them.  Perhaps his memory was just playing him false.

 

The waiter returned with Rufus’s credit card and receipt and the three of them waited for him to return to the table.  After several minutes, Tseng looked at his watch and frowned in the direction of the bathroom.

 

“Maybe I should go and check on him,” the Wutaian said softly.  “Reno, take the remainder of the day off and get some rest.  I’m sure you’d like to get Cloud settled in, anyhow.”

 

“You got it,” Reno said, though he was also looking toward the direction of the restrooms with concern.  “You sure you don’t want us to stick around in case you need help with the boss?”

 

“I’m sure he’s fine,” Tseng answered sluggishly.  He shook his head to clear it, blinking with disorientation.  “The wine was a bit strong this time.  I may hail a cab for us and take him home to sleep it off.”

 

“Sounds like a plan,” Reno agreed.  “Come on, Cloud.  We’ll get a cab too, since we’ve both been drinking.  I wanna stop in somewhere and pick something up on the way home, though.”

 

“Oh?  Like what?” Cloud asked with interest.

 

Reno shrugged.  “A movie, a few groceries and a…a thing I’ve got waiting at the clothing shop.  Do ya mind?”

 

“I don’t mind,” Cloud said amicably, though he wondered why Reno hesitated on the last one.  To Tseng, he said: “Tell Rufus I said thanks for lunch.”

 

Tseng nodded politely.  “I’ll see you both tomorrow.  Have a good afternoon.”

 

~************************************~

* * *

 

Rufus knew as soon as he closed the bathroom stall and sat down on the toilet that something was out of the ordinary.  There was more to it than a simple alcoholic buzz…his body was sluggish and leaden, and he was beginning to feel nauseous and sleepy at the same time.  He hadn’t asked if any of the others were suffering the same symptoms and now he regretted it, because he wasn’t sure he’d be able to stand back up without falling on his face.  He heard someone else come in to the bathroom and he hoped it was Tseng or Reno.  He put his face in his hands and swallowed, trying to fight the dizziness and the rising urge to vomit.

 

_~Bad oysters?~_

 

The handle on his stall jiggled as someone on the other side tried to open it. 

 

“It’s occupied,” Rufus slurred.  A look down at the shoes visible on the other side of the door told him it wasn’t Tseng or Reno at his stall, but someone in work shoes.  Assuming it must be a restaurant employee, Rufus swallowed his pride.  “Pardon me, but could you go to my table and ask one of the men I came in with to come in here?  Something I ate seems to be disagreeing with me.”

 

He’d never had a bad dining experience at this establishment before.  He ate here all the time.  There was no answer from the person on the other side of the door and Rufus frowned and lifted his head.  He noticed two other pairs of shoes joining the first and he began to feel uneasy.

 

_~I eat here all the time…and anyone looking for an opportunity to attack me would probably know that.~_

Rather than speak out loud and demand an answer to his earlier request, Rufus began to reach into his blazer.  His first instinct was to go for his gun but he re-thought his action and instead grabbed for his cellphone.  He was too dizzy to shoot properly right now and getting help was foremost on the list of priorities.  Just as he hit the speed dial for Tseng’s number, the stall door slammed open and he found himself looking up at three men.  All three of them wore hooded masks over their faces.  One of them was dressed as a bartender and the other was unfamiliar to him.

 

_~Bartender…so it was the wine.  Fuck, how could I have been so careless?~_

 

“There are three other perfectly serviceable stalls for you gentlemen to use,” Rufus said coolly, hiding the sluggish slur in his voice even as he began to reach for his weapon.  He couldn’t tell if he’d gotten the call off to Tseng in time and his only hope was to delay whatever plans these men had for him.

 

The one in the middle lunged for him before he could complete his move and Rufus was at a physical disadvantage, being drugged as he was.  Still, he punched out and managed to land a sloppy hit on the side of his attacker’s head before he was dragged out of the stall.  There was a fourth man standing by the restroom door that he hadn’t know was there…probably guarding in case anyone tried to come in. 

 

“Get your bloody hands off me,” Rufus growled as he struggled against his assailants.  He was quickly relieved of his weapons and he swore he heard Tseng’s voice calling his name through the phone before a sack was dropped over his head.  Something struck him in the back of the skull and he was temporarily stunned.  He felt handcuffs fasten around his wrists and he was hefted over someone’s shoulder.  He felt himself being lifted and he remembered that there were windows in the bathroom.  He guessed that his captors were going to try to get him out through the back alley.

 

He made another valiant struggle, until he was again clubbed over the back of the head.  He fought to stay conscious but lost the battle.  He didn’t feel it when his captors dragged him out the window and carried him to a waiting car to put him in the trunk.  His last thought was that he should have known better than to let his guard down, even for a moment.

 

~**********************************~

* * *

 

“Sir?  Rufus?”  Tseng heard someone grunting and swearing on the other end of the line before the call dropped and he stood up in alarm and started immediately for the bathroom.  His first thought was that Rufus had gotten food poisoning and was getting violently ill.  It didn’t occur to him that someone would make a kidnapping attempt on his lover in broad daylight, in a populated restaurant.  At least, it didn’t occur to him until he charged into the Men’s room and found one of the stall doors hanging on a broken hinge.

 

The affect was immediately sobering for the Turk and his dark eyes quickly took in everything.  There were no signs of blood but he could see scuffs on the floor from black-soled shoes.  The window leading to the alley outside was open and large enough for a full-grown man to fit through.  He could hear a car engine starting up and he wasted no time in hauling himself up.  He had just gotten halfway out the window and drawn his gun when he saw a four-door sedan peeling out of the alley.  He took aim and began to fire without thinking, trying to hit the tires and cripple the vehicle.  If it was only a coincidence, the company could pay for the damages but if Rufus was in there, he couldn’t take the chance and let them get away.

 

One of his shots hit a rearview side mirror and the driver panicked a bit and fishtailed once he was on the street.  Tseng dropped down nimbly and kept firing, but none of his shots hit where he intended.  He shot out the back window and heard someone holler a curse before the car was out of range.  Tseng spotted a familiar cellphone lying at the foot of the garbage bin and he grimaced and picked it up.  Obviously he couldn’t use that method to track Rufus. 

 

Panting for breath, the Wutaian took out his cell and dialed Reno’s number.  His adrenaline rush was wearing off and the drugs that he now realized had laced his wine were affecting him again.

 

“Turn your phone on, Reno!” Tseng swore softly as he got an automated message.  He stumbled and leaned against the wall as he hung up and tried Strife’s number.  Thinking quickly, he pulled out a small notepad he kept on his person and wrote down the license plate number he’d seen while he waited for Cloud to pick up.

 

“This is Strife’s delivery service,” Cloud’s familiar voice said.  Before Tseng could speak, the voice continued: “I’m not available to take your call, so if you’ll leave a message I’ll get back to you as soon as possible.”

 

Tseng groaned and hung up again, this time dialing Rude’s number.  When the bald man picked up, Tseng’s knees went weak with relief.

 

“Rude, we’ve had a very serious incident,” Tseng said as quickly as he could, “I think the boss has been kidnapped and I can’t reach Reno or Strife.  I need you to meet me at the Ocean Front restaurant as soon as you can.  In the meantime, I’m going to call Headquarters and get people working on this.”

 

“Did you see any of the kidnappers?” Rude asked in his blessedly monotone voice.

 

“No, but I have the license plate number of the suspects’ car.  If we move quickly we can track them down before the situation becomes too dire.”

 

“What about tracking his cellphone?” Rude suggested.

 

“No good,” Tseng answered, “They threw his cellphone out when they took him.”

 

“I’m on my way,” Rude said.  Whatever tension he might be feeling finally leaked into his voice.  This wasn’t the first time someone had attempted to either assassinate or kidnap Rufus, but it had been so long since the last attempt that all of them had slacked off. 

 

~************************************~

* * *

 

“What are you picking up here again?” Cloud asked as he followed Reno into the formalwear shop.  He stopped and narrowed his eyes as the redhead stopped in front of a female mannequin and examined the long purple gown draping it with interest.  He turned to look at Cloud and tugged his shades down, peering over the top of them with a lecherous twinkle in his bright eyes.

 

“You said anything I want, man.”  Reno was grinning at him and Cloud really couldn’t tell if he was serious or not.

 

“I thought it was pretty clear THAT wasn’t included in the ‘anything’,” Cloud said firmly, pressing his lips together in a stubborn line. 

 

“You sure about that?” Reno asked as he moved closer to the blonde.  He chuckled as Cloud cast a nervous look around the store at the patrons and employees.  “What, you think they never see this kind of thing?”

 

Cloud leaned closer and fixed the redhead with a level stare.  “You’re like a dog with a bone, already!  No way, Reno.  Once was more than enough and I’m not doing it again unless someone’s life depends on it.”

 

“Spoil sport,” Reno grumbled, but he was still grinning.  “Chill out, yo.  I just like to fuck with ya.”

 

“You really weren’t serious?” Cloud asked dubiously.

 

Reno shrugged.  “Well sure, I wanted to see if I could get you to do it and all, but the real reward is seeing you get all flushed and flustered like that.”  He tossed a wink at him and leaned even closer to whisper, “Maybe I can make you flush for another reason, once we get back to my place.”

 

Cloud heaved a sigh and took a step back, before the close contact could make his body react in an embarrassing way.  “Can’t you think of other ways to keep yourself amused…besides embarrassing me?”

 

Reno clicked his tongue against the roof of his mouth.  “Thought you knew me better than that, Strife.  I didn’t just come here to make that low blush factor of yours kick in, you know.”

 

“Then enlighten me,” Cloud said, lowering his eyes as one of the saleswomen passed by and stared at him like a mutt that had come in off the street.  “I don’t fit in here, so make it fast.”

 

Reno patted him briefly on the arm and approached the polished wooden counter.  “Hey,” he said to the cashier, “you should have a package on hold for Reno of the Turks.  Is it ready?”

 

Cloud’s jaw tensed as he watched his companion talk to the man.  He was sobering rapidly and he dearly hoped Reno hadn’t bought a dress in the expectation that he’d wear it.  The man spoke to another employee, who disappeared behind the door to the back.  Cloud edged towards the door, ready to bolt if he saw the salesman emerge with a gown.  When the man came out with a tailored suit neatly wrapped in plastic, Cloud hesitated and frowned in confusion.  Reno took it from the man and motioned the blonde over.

 

“I could be a little off since I didn’t do a real measurement on ya,” the Turk said as Cloud slunk over to him and he held the suit up to his body.  “You can try it on here and see how it fits, man.”

 

“Reno…did you?  Why?”  Cloud was again flustered.  The suit that Reno was holding up against his body was composed of indigo blue pants and a matching blazer, with a black dress shirt to complete the outfit.  The fighter blinked dumbly when he saw the price tag on the outfit. 

 

“Go try it on,” Reno suggested with a crooked smile.  “I’ll bet it’s hot on ya.”

 

Cloud shook his head.  “This…I’m not…that is, it’s too much…”

 

Reno sighed and gave him an impatient look.  “Do you even own a single fucking suit?  Let me do this one thing for you, okay?  Oh, there’s supposed to be shoes to go with it…some Oxfords.”

 

“Right here, Sir.”  The person that brought out the suit set a shoebox on the counter.

 

Cloud lifted the lid and looked in to find a pair of black Oxford dress shoes.  They were in his size.  He looked at Reno again with an expression of surprise and the redhead shrugged.

 

“So I had a peak at your sneakers the last time you were over and memorized the size.  How do you like the threads, man?”  The Turk looked a little anxious.

 

Cloud wasn’t one to dress up often—mainly because he owned very few dressy clothes and never went anywhere that required more than casual wear.  At first he wondered if Reno was doing this because he was ashamed to be seen out with him, but he reasoned that if that were true, he would have taken him here before they went to lunch.  

 

“Just want you to have something nice, Blondie.”  Reno answered the unspoken question in Cloud’s sapphire eyes and tried not to sound vulnerable.  He’d picked out something that was as close to Strife’s style as he could find, but he remembered enough about him to know he wasn’t into fancy clothes.

 

Cloud finally gave a slow nod and a smile that was almost timid.  “It looks great.  I’ll go and try it on.”

 

Reno visibly relaxed as his companion took the clothing and shoes and moved to the back of the store, where the dressing rooms were.  The cashier was looking at him knowingly and the Turk lowered his shades and gave him a level stare over the top of them.  “You have something to say, man?”

 

The cashier hastily looked away, intimidated not only by Reno’s tone but also by his unusually bright eyes.  Any smug comments he might have felt like making concerning the obvious relationship between the Turk and the blonde were swallowed abruptly.

 

Cloud emerged from the dressing room after a few minutes, carrying the clothes he’d walked in with tucked under one arm and his boots under the other.  He looked a little embarrassed but pleased.  Reno stared him up and down, his eyebrows shooting up as he gave a low whistle.

 

“Damn, I’m good,” said the Turk with unmasked appreciation.  The suit fit Cloud great, hugging just the right places and draping over others.  He’d forgotten to buy a belt to go with it, but Cloud was wearing his old belt with the wolf’s head buckle and damned if it wasn’t appropriate.  “Does it feel as good as it looks, Blondie?”

 

Cloud looked down at himself briefly, then smiled and nodded.  “It’s comfortable.  It feels a little tight in the inseam, but I’m used to wearing jeans and leather all the time.”

 

Reno crossed the room before any of the salespeople could even think of doing it and he knelt and ran a hand up the inside of each of Cloud’s thighs.  He smiled when he felt the blonde shiver under his touch and he looked up at him from his kneeling position.  “Looks like a good fit.  I could have ‘em do some adjustments if you don’t think you could get used to it, though.”

 

Cloud swallowed and shook his head.  “No, I think it’ll be fine.  Uh…thanks, Reno.  This is really nice of you.”

 

The Turk rose smoothly to his feet and eyed the blonde for a moment.  “I should be thanking you for accepting it, man.  Although I’ve gotta say, I think I like you best in leather.”  The last was said in a low murmur and his lips curved into one of those suggestive smiles that made Cloud tingle.  Turning to the cashier again, he pulled out his wallet and handed his credit card over.

 

“Oh shit…wait,” Reno said as the man began to swipe it, “I forgot it ain’t activated yet.  Here, I’ll pay in cash.”  He counted out several large bills and when he saw the look on the cashier’s face, he growled, “What?  I’ve been in a fucking coma for a year and my accounts got frozen.”

 

“Easy, Reno,” Cloud murmured, wincing.  “I think he’s just surprised you’d carry that much cash on you.”

 

The cashier nodded convulsively, knowing enough about the Turks to avoid risking angering the temperamental redhead further.  “People do get mugged, Sir.”  He finished the transaction and handed over a shopping bag with the store logo on it for Cloud to put his previous clothes into.

 

“Not people like me, yo,” Reno countered, but he relaxed and gave the man an abrupt smile.  “Thanks.  I’ll tell my friends about ya.”

 

“Have a nice day Sir, and thank you for your patronage,” the cashier responded automatically.  Cloud could hear the relief in his voice as he put his clothes in the bag and followed Reno out of the shop.

 

“I think you almost made that guy shit his pants,” Cloud commented once they were on the sidewalk.  He didn’t return the smile Reno gave him.  “Are you okay?”

 

Reno’s smile faded and he shrugged.  “Yeah, I guess so.  Sometimes I just get a little defensive, ya know?  I’ve been out of it for so long and I’m still trying to get back in touch.  It just rears up sometimes…the frustration, I mean.”

 

“I know,” Cloud said softly.  He did, too—probably better than anyone.  It was hard to adjust to reality after being trapped in one’s mind for so long.  “Hey, don’t push yourself, all right?”

 

“Why not?” Reno asked as he looked for a cab to hail.  “You were up and moving when you should have been buzzard bait.  How is it any different?”

 

“Everyone’s got their own pace,” Cloud reminded him.  “You’re trying to run at mine but you’re forgetting that I was deliberately infused with Mako, under controlled conditions.  You fell into a natural stream of it.”

 

“So did you, the second time,” Reno argued.  “You snapped out of that one pretty quick.”

 

“Probably because I’d built some immunity to it,” Cloud replied.  “You were dunked abruptly in the shit, Reno.  All I’m saying is you shouldn’t set standards of recovery too high for yourself.”

 

Reno stopped for a moment and looked at him with a lopsided grin.  “Listen to you…you sound like a scientist.”

 

“I’ve just got some experience in the situation,” Cloud sighed.  “Would you just try to slow down a little?  At least until the tests are finished and we know you’re not burning yourself out.”

 

“Can’t promise anything, but for you I’ll give it a try,” Reno promised lightly.  He spotted a vacant cab and waved it over.  “Let’s go pick up the groceries and a movie, then we can go back to my place and I can molest you in your shiny new outfit, yo.”

 

~********************************~

* * *

 

They were just heading back to Reno’s apartment when he checked his cellphone as an afterthought.  The redhead frowned severely when he saw that he had seventeen missed calls.

 

“What the hell?”

 

Cloud looked at him questioningly as the Turk unlocked his phone and listened to his messages.  Reno’s face abruptly drained of color and Cloud scooted closer on the seat in concern.  “What’s wrong?”

 

“Cloud, check your messages,” Reno said through stiff lips.

 

The blonde searched through the bag where he’d stuffed his clothes and his jacket until he found his cellphone.  He flipped it open and found eight missed calls.  Two were from Tifa and the rest were from Tseng, Rude and Elena.  A cold knot of dread formed in his belly as he activated the messages and brought the phone to his ear, though he wasn’t sure why.

 

“It’s not a prank, is it?” Reno asked him in an unusually desperate tone as he listened to his messages with a frown.  Never mind that Tseng wasn’t the sort of man to pull pranks, especially of this magnitude.

 

“No, it’s not a prank,” Cloud answered, meeting Reno’s eyes with his startled blue ones.  “How in the hell could Rufus get kidnapped right under our noses?”

 

“They got him in the bathroom,” Reno said in a tight voice.  “I don’t know what he said in your messages, but in mine Tseng said they spiked the wine they were drinking.  If the boss hadn’t gone alone to the bathroom they never would have had their chance to get him!” Reno was breathing unevenly and Cloud feared he might put himself into shock.

 

“Easy, we don’t know all the details yet,” Cloud murmured as he squeezed the Turk’s shoulder comfortingly.  He looked at the cab driver through the rear-view mirror, who seemed to be trying to eavesdrop.  “Driver, we’ve got a different destination.  Take us to the ShinRa building instead.”

 

~********************************~

* * *

 

Tseng was relieved and grateful when Reno hurried through his door with Cloud close behind.  Having Strife on their side in this situation would prove useful, if they could find out where Rufus was being held.

 

“How the hell did they do this?” Reno immediately blurted, hardly noticing the presence of Rude, Elena and several other Turks.

 

“President Shinra has lived through many kidnapping and assassination attempts before,” Tseng said as calmly as he could.  “You may not remember them, but it isn’t unheard of.  These people must have been monitoring his habits and planning this for some time, now.  They only needed an opportunity, which I unfortunately provided for them at lunch today.”

 

“What do ya mean ‘you’ provided?” Reno asked.  “I was there too, man.  We fucked up, plain and simple!”

 

“Rufus is a grown man,” Cloud intervened firmly, “he’s been living with these risks for most of his life.  Nobody’s doing him any good comparing blame, here.”

 

Rude nodded silently in agreement and Tseng rubbed the bridge of his nose.  “I suppose not,” conceded the Wutaian softly.

 

“So what do we know about these fuckers?” Reno asked impatiently.

 

“I had a license plate number,” Tseng answered as he dragged his fingers through his long, raven hair.  “Unfortunately, it was a dummy plate.  It was found discarded on the street, a few blocks away from where they abducted him.  They’ve already called with their demands.”

 

“Let’s hear it,” Reno insisted.

 

“They used voice disguising technology,” Rude said.  “We can’t use the recording to get a match.”

 

“I still wanna hear it,” Reno said stubbornly. 

 

Tseng nodded to one of the Turks that Cloud didn’t recognize and the man opened his briefcase on the desk and revealed a laptop computer.  He started it up and went through some files until he found the one he was looking for.  He turned the volume up and everyone listened intently while the phone call was played. 

 

There was nothing particularly special or original about it—except for the ransom price of half a billion gil.  Otherwise it was the standard “send an agent to a location of our choice at a time of our choice with the money or we’ll begin sending your boss back to you in pieces” threat.  Cloud thought they must have gotten their lines from one of the many action movies with a kidnapping theme, but the situation was too serious for him to glean any amusement from it. 

 

“That’s all there is,” the Turk with the laptop said when the file finished playing.  “They’re supposed to contact us again in the morning with an exact meeting location for the exchange.  In the meantime we’ve got our best people working on it as well as outside authorities.”

 

Cloud blinked.  _~Damn, that’s a lot of people looking for just one guy.  I wonder what it was like to grow up with that much power?  No wonder Rufus is such a bastard most of the time.~_

Tseng noticed the blonde’s disapproving look.  “If you have some input to this situation, I’m sure we’d all appreciate hearing it, Cloud.”

 

Cloud wasn’t comfortable with the way everyone’s eyes settled on him, but he was confident enough in his reasoning to hold his ground.  “Don’t you think it could get a little messy if these guys find out how many people are looking for their prisoner and the authorities get too close?  I know Rufus likes a ‘balls to the wall’ approach in situations like this, but it might just get him killed.”

 

The Turks considered his observation and Tseng nodded slowly.  “If his father were still in charge of the company, this would have been handled with an exchange.”

 

Cloud remembered Reno describing such an “exchange” to him the night before he fell into the Mako stream.  What was meant to be a pay-and-go situation turned into a firefight and an explosion that took out all of the kidnappers.  He couldn’t say anything about that however, because it wasn’t information he was supposed to know about. 

 

“So you’re trying to abide by what you think Rufus would want,” Cloud reasoned.  He knew how that felt.  The decision to let the doctors use an experimental treatment on Reno had been his to make.  The uncertainty and fear that he wasn’t doing the right thing by Reno had been agony for him. 

 

“It’s how things are done under his authority,” agreed Tseng. 

 

“And how would you do it under yours?” Cloud persisted.  “Rufus isn’t here now and you’re the leader of the Turks.  He can’t give orders, but you can.”

 

Tseng stared at him levelly.  “I would prefer to take the route that’s least likely to cause Rufus’s death—which would clearly be a more covert approach.  There’s a problem, however.  These people most likely know what each and every Turk looks like.”

 

“Probably,” agreed Cloud.  “They’d want to know that whoever shows up with the money is one of Rufus’s employees.  I don’t see how that’s a problem.”

 

“They’ll have the area watched,” Elena added, catching on to Tseng’s meaning.  “If they see more than one guy they’ll know they’re being set up and they’ll probably kill the President.”

 

Cloud winced, realizing she was right.  “They probably know I’ve been hanging around with you guys too,” he reasoned, more to himself than to them.

 

“Our choices are limited to an all-out assault and cooperation,” Tseng said with a nod.  “They’ll expect Turk involvement but on their terms.  They’ll recognize any other Turks or associates of President Shinra’s.”

 

“Then let me do the drop-off,” Reno said.  “I’ll blow myself away with ‘em if I have to.”

 

Cloud and Rude both looked at the redhead with alarm.  “Now just wait a minute, partner,” Rude said with more haste than Cloud had ever heard him use, “Suicide isn’t going to help at all.”

 

“There’s no need for that,” Cloud said in agreement, looking at Reno worriedly.  “You can’t tell me with all the technology this company has, you can’t manage to disguise a few people.”

 

“His tattoos would give him away,” Rude added with an apologetic look at his partner.

 

“What the fuck, man,” Reno snarled, “I don’t care what happens to me, I just wanna—”

 

“That’s exactly why you shouldn’t go in,” Rude interrupted firmly as he crossed the room in long strides and grabbed hold of Reno’s shoulders.  “If you can’t keep your cool, you’ll get yourself, the boss and anyone working with you killed.  Besides, maybe you’d do the most good as a sniper, the way you’ve been shooting lately.  Maybe we can find a place out of the way to put you, where they won’t spot you and you can still get off a good shot.”

 

Reno seemed to calm down a bit with that suggestion, but Tseng was frowning.  “Reno, while Rude’s idea has its merit, I can’t allow it unless you can convince me you won’t shoot without thinking.  You’re far too emotional right now to make rational decisions.”

 

“Hey, I can make rational decisions,” Reno argued, “just give me a little time to cool down, yo.”

 

Tseng sighed.  “The crux of the matter is, we still can’t get any of our people close enough to perform a rescue operation and as you said, Cloud, if they see any authorities getting close, the President’s life could be forfeit.  I’m afraid the Turks are powerless in this endeavor.”

 

Cloud’s golden brows furrowed with concentration as Tseng’s words inspired an idea to formulate in his head.  _~I’ve got to be crazy for even thinking of this.~_

“What about an ex Turk?” Cloud heard himself ask.

 

Tseng and the others stared at him as if he’d just suggested they send in rodeo clowns to rescue Rufus. 

 

“Cloud,” Tseng began carefully, “I don’t know how much you understand about our organization, but there aren’t any ex…Turks…”  He trailed off as what the blonde was suggesting struck him.  While Turks who managed to live long enough could eventually retire under watch, there were no living Turks who had ever “quit”.  No…living…Turks.  Except one man, whose status as a “living” person was still up for debate.  Cloud’s blue eyes were boring into his as the realization sank in.

 

“Valentine,” Tseng whispered, unable to conceal a slight shiver of apprehension in his tone.  While the former Turk’s unique skills could prove invaluable at a time like this, the chance that he would help them was abysmal.  “Strife, what on Gaia makes you believe your friend would lift so much as a finger to help free the President?  He has no love for ShinRa inc. and whatever old feelings of loyalty he might entertain to the Turks can’t possibly be enough to sway him.”

 

“Maybe if the right person asked for it,” Cloud hinted distractedly. 

 

“Well, he’s your friend, man,” Reno said dubiously.

 

“I wasn’t talking about me,” Cloud murmured.

 

“I’m afraid I don’t follow,” Tseng said.

 

“We’ve got time,” Cloud replied.  “I can’t promise anything yet but I think I can get Vincent’s help.”

 

“What about your other pals?” Reno asked, intrigued.  There could be some serious ass-kicking going on if Strife’s gang all joined in on this.

 

Cloud smirked at the redhead.  “Barret?  He’s anything but subtle, and the same goes for Cid and Yuffie.  All three of them would laugh in my face if I asked them to help rescue Rufus Shinra, too.  Nanaki would probably be willing and he’d be a good help, except a big lion with a flaming tail is kind of conspicuous.  Tifa would help if I asked, but I can’t put her in the middle of this.  That leaves Vincent and I’m not even sure I can get him.  Just let me try and in the meantime, start making plans for the exchange and decide how you want to do this.  We can improvise if I can get Vincent on board.”

 

Reno heaved a sigh.  “Okay then…but now you’ve got me curious about who this ‘friend’ is you think can convince him to help.”

 

“It’s not my place to tell,” Cloud said smoothly. 

~Besides, if I’m wrong about Reeve and Vincent they’ll both be after my hide for spreading rumors.  I’m going to have to play it cool with this one and hope my instincts are right.~

 

~****************************************~

* * *

 

-To be continued

 

 

 


	12. Chapter 12

“Guardian”

Chapter 12

~*******************************************~

* * *

*Disclaimer:  The world that this story is set in and all characters therein belong to Square-Enix.  This fiction piece is strictly a non-profit exercise of creativity and entertainment for people (like me) who can’t get enough of this world and the characters.* 

~***********************************************~

* * *

 

Rufus wasn’t surprised in the least to find himself waking up in what appeared to be a warehouse.  His wrists were tightly cuffed together behind his back and he was seated in a ratty armchair, just under a naked, hanging lightbulb.

 

“Typical,” he muttered.

 

“What’s that?”

 

Rufus blinked his eyes into focus and peered in the direction the voice came from.  A powerfully built man stood a few feet away near a door, checking his pistol.  His hair was dark brown and cropped short and he wore a muscle shirt and a pair of jeans.  His features were hard and chiseled and everything about him said “thug”.

 

“I said ‘typical’,” Rufus answered calmly.  “Your lack of originality bores me.”

 

“Kinda cocky for a man in your position,” the kidnapper shrugged.  “We snatched you out of a public bathroom…how’s that for ‘original’?”

 

Rufus returned the shrug as best he could in his restrained position.  “At least you didn’t catch me with my pants down.”

 

The kidnapper grinned sharply.  “The rich guy’s a comedian.”

 

“One must maintain a sense of humor in these situations,” Rufus agreed lightly.  He still felt nauseous but he attributed that to the blows he’d received to the back of his head.  The drugs seemed to have worn off.  He took in his surroundings covertly, maintaining his calm.  He had faith that his Turks would get him out of this, but that didn’t mean that he couldn’t make his own efforts to expedite his escape.

 

“I assume you intend to get some sort of ransom for me,” Rufus inquired conversationally.  There was a television, a crate serving as a coffee table and some more ratty furniture against the wall at the other end of the warehouse.  He could see that there were people seated there but he couldn’t tell how many there were, since the furniture was facing away from him.

 

“If you don’t give us any trouble,” the guarding kidnapper agreed.  “’Course, if your people don’t cooperate, we’re gonna have to start sending body parts to show ‘em we mean business.”

 

“Crude,” Rufus criticized.  “Not to mention unsanitary and cliché.  You do realize of course that you’ll be dealing with the Turks?”

 

“So?”

 

Rufus smiled coldly, his eyes glinting.  “If you know that, then surely you know that for each body part you remove from me, they’ll remove one of yours when they find you—and they WILL find you—they always do.”

 

That struck a nerve.  “They won’t find us before we carve you up, pal.”

 

Rufus continued, non-intimidated.  “Just last year, a junkie stole one of my guns.  Do you want to know what one of my people did to him when he found him?”

 

“Shut up.”

 

“He tortured him for a while, of course.”  Rufus shrugged.  “He beat him until there was blood running into his eyes, then he burned him with his cigarette.  When he finished doing that, he dug his eyes out with a spoon from his own kitchen.”  Rufus was fabricating the part about the spoon but he remembered Reno saying he’d threatened to do it, so he ran with it.  The thug was going pale as he spoke.  “He finally shot him and put him out of his misery, but he suffered plenty before he was finished.”

 

The kidnapper swallowed just hard enough for Rufus to catch the motion and the president fixed him with a chill, level stare.  “That was over my gun…just one piece of my property.  Imagine what reward you’ll face for kidnapping me.”

 

“I said shut UP!”

 

Rufus braced himself as his captor lunged across the distance and raised his gun like a club.  He couldn’t dodge the blow but the pain of being pistol-whipped across the face was nothing compared to the satisfaction he felt for having shaken the man.  His head jerked to the side with the blow and his vision blurred, but he saw two other figures stand up from their seats at the furniture at the end of the room and approach.  He slowly righted himself and stared at the fuming thug, ignoring the blood the trickled from his mouth over his chin.

 

“Hey, take it easy,” one of the other kidnappers said as he charged across the room and tried to restrain the provoked one.  “You can’t go tearing him up before we’ve even finished making arrangements!”  He had long, dark blonde hair that was tied into a ponytail.  His build was somewhat lanky and Rufus grimaced at how he reminded him a bit of Reno.

 

“That part only happens if they don’t cooperate,” the other kidnapper added with a grim look at Rufus.  This one had shoulder-length, dark brown hair and his features were similar to the bigger one’s.  Rufus suspected they were related by blood.

 

“Cute cocksucker could wind up dead if he keeps fucking with me,” the big man growled.

 

“By all means, make your suicide complete,” Rufus invited calmly. 

 

“Gag him,” the smaller dark-haired one ordered. 

 

Rufus knew that he’d pushed enough buttons for now, so he put up only a minimal fight when the blonde fit a gag into his mouth and tied it firmly behind his head.  He was the weakest link, insofar as nerve went.  The President could tell by the nervous look in his hazel eyes that he wasn’t as sure about this as his partners.  He could use that to his advantage, as well as the big one’s temper.

 

~*************************************~

* * *

 

“This is Reeve Tuesti.”

 

“Reeve, it’s Cloud.”

 

“Oh, Cloud!  How are things?  I’ve been in touch with Reno’s doctor and he’s given him a pretty good prognosis.”  Reeve’s cultured voice sounded friendly and pleased to hear from him.

 

“Reno’s doing okay, all things considered,” Cloud answered, “but we’ve got other problems.  I’m surprised you haven’t heard yet—Rufus was kidnapped.”

 

Silence.  Then: “No, I haven’t heard that…I’ve been out all day.  When did this happen?”

 

“Today, actually.  ShinRa’s working on it but they think these guys were plotting this for a while and they probably have information on most of the Turks.  They’re asking for a half a billion in ransom.”

 

“HALF A BILLION!”  Reeve exploded.  He immediately calmed himself.  “I suppose to some people, President Shinra’s life could be worth that much.  That’s all I intend to say about that.”

 

Cloud chuckled in spite of himself.  “Yeah, but I get the feeling they wouldn’t be demanding that much if they didn’t think the company could swing it.”

 

“Hmm.  I leave the office for a few hours and look at what you people get up to.”  Reeve sighed.  “I suppose these kidnappers are prepared for a rescue attempt.”

 

“Yeah…at least, they say they are.  The standard rules apply and if they recognize any backup or authorities, Rufus is a goner.”  Cloud forced himself not to launch directly into his suggestion, knowing how sharp Reeve was and hoping he would come to the same conclusion as him.  “I thought I might try to go in but if they know all the Turks, they probably know I’ve been involved with them because of Reno.”

 

“Unless they’re bluffing,” Reeve suggested.

 

“But we don’t know how much is a bluff and how much isn’t,” Cloud reminded him.

 

“True.  And you have no idea where they might be holding him?”

 

Cloud shook his head.  “Not yet.  They’re supposed to call us in the morning to set up an exchange.”

 

Reeve went silent again for a moment.  When he spoke again, his tone was thoughtful.  “If these people have any wits at all, they’ll keep Rufus in a separate location from where they want to make the money exchange.  I imagine they’ll give the location once they have their ransom.”

 

Cloud swore softly.  He hadn’t even considered that.  “Well, shit.  That’s going to make it hard to get him without giving over the money first.”

 

“There’s still time,” Reeve soothed.  “I can be there in a couple of hours and my people can help in the search.  Were there any witnesses?” 

 

Cloud sighed.  “Tseng would probably know the car if he saw it but they took off the license plate after they grabbed Rufus.  He marked it, though.  He shot out the back window and a mirror, so if we can find that car we can probably find Rufus.  I don’t know where to even start looking, though.”

 

“That’s what satellite relay is for,” Reeve said dryly.  “They could only have gotten so far before they settled somewhere.  What we need to do is scan all of the areas in a broad range area to narrow it down.  It wouldn’t hurt to investigate autoshop records within that radius as well, to see if a vehicle matching that description was brought in for repairs matching the damages Tseng caused.”

 

Cloud’s lips rounded and he whistled silently.  “We should have gotten you on this from the beginning, man.”

 

“You’re making me blush,” Reeve chuckled.  “Oh, hold on a moment, Cloud.  I just have to make some quick arrangements before I head to my car.” 

 

Cloud heard his friend talking to someone in the background, ordering a team to go to Junon with him under classified restrictions.  A moment later, Reeve spoke to him again.  “I’m heading to my car now.  With any luck, we can find these people before real money has to be spent or Rufus gets hurt.  What’s the plan on that, by the way?  Obviously you can’t send in a strike team without risking the President, and if they know the Turks as you suggested, it throws another wrench in the works.”

 

“I know,” Cloud said.  “We need subtlety, either to nab one of the kidnappers during the exchange or to get close to where Rufus is without attracting too much attention.  Someone skilled.”

 

“And you can’t do that, if they’re aware you’ve been spending time with the Turks,” Reeve remembered.  “Well, I could bring a small helper to scout…”

 

“They’d probably know about Cait Sith,” Cloud said hastily.  “I mean, you’re almost famous for him and they know you work with ShinRa.”

 

“But they don’t know about Monkey Shines,” Reeve said.

 

Cloud’s brows furrowed.  “Uh…’Monkey Shines’?” He repeated, dumbfounded.

 

“Mmm-hmm.  As you said; Cait Sith is rather high profile now, so I’ve made a new prototype.”

 

Cloud blinked.  “So…what…you’ve gone from a fortune-telling cat to a…a…”

 

“A dancing monkey,” Reeve finished for him.  “It’s perfect…we just have to hire someone to play the crank.”

 

Cloud bit back a hysterical giggle and coughed.  “That’s…that’s great Reeve, but it’s not exactly the sort of help I had in mind.  I was thinking more along the lines of someone that could infiltrate and do some real damage, if it comes to that.”

 

Reeve sighed.  “You want me to ask Vincent.”  It wasn’t a question.

 

Cloud did his best to pretend ignorance and surprise.  “Vincent?  That’s not a bad idea.  I didn’t even think of—”

 

“Oh, stop,” Reeve said in a fondly exasperated tone.  “You’re a terrible actor, Cloud.  You’ve been leading up to it through the entire conversation.”

 

Cloud shrugged boyishly and lowered his eyes.  Reeve probably would have chuckled at his action if he could see him.  “Well, he’s got the skills we’d need and then some.  They wouldn’t recognize him, either.”

 

“How can you be so sure?” Reeve questioned, “If they know who all of the Turks are, they likely know about him as well.”

 

“They know all the _current_ Turks,” Cloud corrected.  “These guys did their homework for what they had planned, but I’m sure they didn’t dig that far back.  Even if they happened to get their hands on any old records—which I doubt—they’d never believe Vincent’s the same guy in the files and even if they figured it out, imagine how fast they’d be changing their underwear.”

 

“I suppose seeing a red-eyed ‘ghost’ from the past would soil a few boxers, yes,” Reeve agreed dryly.  He sighed again.  “I’ll see what I can do.  Vincent’s been reclusive since Deepground, though.  I may not be able to reach him.”

 

“How long has it been since you talked?” Cloud asked carefully, trying not to hint about his suspicions concerning their relationship.

 

“Months…which I suppose is better than everyone else but still, he may be reluctant.”  There was a very subtle hint of longing in the older man’s voice that Cloud couldn’t help but pick up on.

 

“Just see what you can do,” the blonde requested.  “Of all of us, he respects you the most.”  That was the simple truth and he was confident that it didn’t breach any social etiquette.

 

“I suppose so,” Reeve said softly.  “I’ll contact you if I have any luck.  I’ll try to get in touch with him on my way there.”

 

“Thanks, Reeve.”

 

~************************************~

* * *

 

After hanging up with Cloud, Reeve took a deep breath and searched through his cellphone directory.  He got into his car and buckled up as he dialed the number.  He almost laughed at himself at that moment, realizing that the safety belt was as much for emotional fortitude as for physical protection.  He started the engine and it purred softly as he listened to the other line ring.

 

“Come on, Vincent,” Reeve murmured as he put his car into gear and began to pull out of the parking garage, “I’ve left you alone to rest for months now.  Wake up, you freaking mummy.” 

 

He knew that Vincent’s phone was charged because the dark gunman always left it plugged in, and Reeve himself paid for the credit so that it wouldn’t get disconnected while Vincent slept.  His heart hammered so hard he thought it would fly out of his chest when someone picked up on the other line.  For a moment, there was no verbal response, then Vincent’s deep, velvety voice spoke.

 

“Hello, Reeve.”

 

The WRO Director swallowed hard, unprepared as always for the affect that voice had on him.  “Good morning, Sunshine.  It’s another beautiful day in the crypt, I take it?”

 

“Your cheerful sarcasm is as annoying as ever,” Vincent responded, but Reeve could hear a smile in his voice.

 

“I’m just trying to be polite,” said Reeve lightly, “I know how grumpy you can get when you’ve overslept.”

 

Vincent sighed deeply and slowly, his breath whispering over the mouthpiece and making Reeve shiver involuntarily.  “What day is it?”

 

“It’s Tuesti.”  Reeve winced as soon as he made the pun and he was glad the gunman couldn’t see him flush with embarrassment.

 

“Your humor is as moldy as my tapestries,” Vincent yawned.

 

Reeve laughed heartily at that.  It didn’t happen often, but every once in a while Vincent burst out with some funny cracks, entirely by accident.  “So I’m a bit rusty.  Like the nails in your coffin.”

 

“That’s an improvement,” Vincent replied, sounding a bit more awake.  “How long has it been, Reeve?”

 

“I’m not sure…months.”  That was a lie.  It had been seven months, two weeks and three days.  Reeve couldn’t help but count.

 

“Mmm, that long?  To what do I owe the pleasure?”  Vincent’s voice was caressing, though it probably wasn’t a conscious effort on his part.

 

“I wish this was a pleasure call, but I’m afraid it’s business,” Reeve said.  It always seemed to take him a few minutes to gather his wits and calm down when he spoke to Vincent.  “There’s been some trouble and I’m calling to request your help.”

 

“What sort of trouble?” Vincent wanted to know.

 

“Rufus Shinra’s been kidnapped and if any of his people try to rescue him, they’ll be recognized.  I’m on my way to Headquarters now and Cloud is there waiting.”  He said it quickly, almost ashamed to be asking his friend to participate.  Vincent had earned his rest and he hated to call him out of the blue like this just to beg favors of him.

 

“Why should I care what happens to Rufus Shinra?” Vincent inquired softly.

 

“Because it was his funding that made a lot of things possible in our fight against Deepground and Omega,” Reeve answered readily, “and it’s his funding now that’s allowing us to repair damages from everything that’s happened over the years, cure sick people and preserve the environment.  He may be a bastard but he’s a rich one and he’s doing something decent with his money.  Are those good enough reasons?”

 

“That was quite a speech,” Vincent replied with another sigh. 

 

“It would also be a favor…to me,” Reeve added softly, swallowing.

 

“That’s blackmail,” the gunman responded with a touch of annoyance in his voice.

 

Reeve smiled, pleased in spite of himself that Vincent would do it simply because he asked.  “It’s important,” he insisted.  “Can we count on you?”

 

“If you’ll arrange the transportation, I’ll come,” Vincent answered.

 

“Excellent.  I really appreciate it, Vincent.”  Reeve wanted to say more but he didn’t know what to add.  He never did.  “I’ll see you in Junon.”  He settled for that and hung up the phone to make another call and arrange for a chopper to pick Vincent up in Nibelheim.  When that was finished, he turned on the radio to take his mind off of the heart-pounding, dry-mouthed conversation he’d had with the gunman.

 

“What are you, thirteen?” he growled at himself.  He suffered no delusions; he knew exactly what caused the symptoms.  He just hadn’t had any of them this bad since he hit puberty.  Vincent was out of his league and probably off-limits to any man, if his love for Lucrecia was any indication.  He’d known this for some time, now. 

 

_~So why the hell haven’t I gotten over it, yet?~_

With a heavy sigh, he picked up his cell once again to call Cloud back and let him know that Vincent was on his way to help, too.

~************************************~

* * *

 

Reeve arrived at the ShinRa headquarters just before his team.  He exchanged greetings with Cloud and the Turks and looked over the information they had so far.  As soon as his team made it in, he sent them to work with the company employees already on the case and had them concentrate on searching the ground through satellite and checking the records of all surrounding auto shops and junkyards.

 

“Vincent should be arriving within the hour,” Reeve explained to Cloud and the others as they had coffee and discussed the situation. 

 

“Oh, so he’s the friend you were talking about,” Reno said to Cloud, and he looked at Reeve appraisingly through his shades.

 

“Pardon me?” Reeve asked.

 

“I told them I knew someone that might have an easier time convincing him to help than me,” Cloud explained, shooting Reno an annoyed look.

 

“I see,” Reeve said.  He knew it was no secret that he and Vincent had grown close during the Omega incident so he thought nothing of it…at least, not at first.  Reno seemed on edge and he was given to exaggeration in his best moments.

 

“Our plan is to try and locate where the kidnappers are holding the President first,” Tseng explained.  “If we succeed, we’ll attempt to send some people in without rousing their attention but Vincent’s role will be crucial as the main antagonist.  Do you think he’ll agree to this, Reeve?”

 

The Director nodded and sipped his coffee.  “He has a surprising wild streak when he’s ready for action.  It takes a lot to intimidate him.”

 

Cloud glanced at Reno uncomfortably, expecting him to take that line and roll with it.  The redhead had an uncanny knack for spotting heat between two people, even if the two people in question denied it themselves.  When Reno failed to react, Cloud realized how preoccupied he really was. 

 

“What’s the plan if we don’t find the location before they make their demands in the morning?” Reeve asked, distracting Cloud from his study of Reno.

 

“Then we’ll attempt a bit of subterfuge and pretend to go along with it,” Tseng answered readily, “at least for long enough to find out where they’re holding him.  Once the President is safe, we’ll pursue them.”

 

“Yo, what if they decide to save themselves some trouble and just kill him once they get the money?” Reno asked on sudden, horrified inspiration.

 

“We aren’t agreeing to an exchange of the money until we have the President safely in our custody,” Tseng answered firmly.  “There are no guarantees, Reno.  There’s going to be risk to his safety no matter what path we choose.”

 

Reno swallowed and nodded, his lips thinning to a grim line.  “So where does Vinnie come in if we use the second plan?”

 

“Much the same,” Tseng answered, “We’ll get him to the location and he’ll make his way in to back up the drop-off person.”

 

“We haven’t decided who that’s going to be, yet,” Cloud reminded.

 

Tseng considered him.  “You.”

 

Cloud blinked and Reno started to protest, but changed his mind.  “If shit goes down, I can’t think of anyone else here that could get to Rufus faster,” the redhead agreed.  “I still wanna be part of it, though.”

 

Tseng thought about that and studied the redhead.  While he was still upset, Reno didn’t seem to be in such a reckless mood anymore.  “Perhaps you should do what you do best.”

 

Reno raised his eyebrows at him.

 

“Not that,” Tseng said hastily, his lips twitching briefly.  “I meant have your helicopter on standbye.  You and Rude can be ready to do an airstrike if it’s needed.”

 

“A chopper’s going to be kind of…conspicuous,” Rude said, “especially one flying around with the ShinRa logo on it.”

 

“Not if it’s kept in a transport unit until it’s needed,” Tseng answered.  “We’ll just have to be careful not to have it sitting too close to the rendezvous point.”

 

“Good thinking,” Reno said enthusiastically.  “I like that plan, boss.”

 

“I’m a little concerned about sending Cloud in as the liaison,” said Reeve.  “He’s got a rather extensive reputation as the world’s savior, you know.  If the kidnappers know who he is, they’ll know what he’s capable of and they might suspect a trap.”

 

“Or they could be really flattered that he’s making the exchange,” Reno said.  “I mean, everyone knows ShinRa doesn’t spare expense when it comes to class, am I right?”

 

Reeve nodded thoughtfully.  “That’s not a bad point either.  My next concern is; how are we going to get Vincent to the same place at the same time?  They may not recognize him but it could make them suspicious if he’s seen loitering around either of the areas.”

 

Reno looked at Cloud and he remembered something.  “Hey Cloud…remember the limousine ride?”

 

The blonde ogled him.  “Now’s _really_ not the time to talk about that,” he hissed.

 

 Reno blinked before he realized what part of the ride Cloud was thinking of.  He chuckled and shook his head.  “That ain’t what I meant.  I’m talking about the chauffeur, man.”

 

“Uh…he’s the one we’re trying to rescue,” Cloud said as he flushed.

 

Reno groaned softly.  Here he was trying to speak in code to save the blonde from embarrassment and Cloud was playing the air-head card on him!  “No, nitwit!  I’m talking about the suit!  We can dress Vinnie up like a chauffeur and he can drive you there!”

 

“Now _that’s_ a good idea,” Reeve said in an impressed tone.  “Only, please don’t call him ‘Vinnie’ to his face.  Yuffie just barely gets away with it and I don’t imagine he feels he knows you well enough to take such liberties.”

 

“Probably good advice, man,” Reno agreed, remembering snatches of his brief encounters with the gunman in the past.

 

Cloud realized for the first time that Reno seemed to have no trouble remembering Vincent at all.  “I never realized you remembered him, until this happened.”

 

“He ain’t exactly an easy person to forget,” Reno said dryly.  “Someone that can change into different demons kind of sticks in your memory, yo.”

 

~****************************************~

* * *

 

Reeve wasn’t aware that Vincent had arrived until he heard the gunman’s voice speak up behind him in the break room. 

 

“What’s the situation?”

 

Reeve nearly fell out of his chair, he jumped to his feet and turned so abruptly.  Vincent was standing by the door next to Cloud and the blonde was explaining everything to him.  Crimson eyes met brown over the short distance and a flicker of silent warmth passed between the two men.  Vincent kept his eyes on Reeve for a moment before turning his full attention back to Cloud.

 

“You want me to dress up like a Chauffeur?” Vincent asked when Cloud finished.  His raven brows knitted together beneath his red bandanna.

 

“Well no offense Vincent, but you stick out like a sore thumb,” Reeve said with a crooked smile as he approached.  “If you show up in your regular attire they’re bound to suspect something.”

 

Vincent glanced down at his leather body armor and red cape.  “I’m most comfortable in this.”

 

“I know,” Cloud said hastily, “but they’ll know something’s up the minute they spot you in that.  What if you wore the uniform over your regular clothes?”

 

“Then I’d hardly be able to move,” Vincent predicted.  “I can’t be much good to you if I’m hampered by several layers of clothing.”

 

Cloud sighed.  “Okay, so can’t you just change into the driver uniform until this is over?”

 

“I could, but I warn you if I change forms, the suit will be destroyed.  My body armor is designed to adapt and regular clothing isn’t.”

 

“The cost of a uniform is inconsequential,” Tseng said respectfully.  “Considering that the kidnappers are asking for a half a billion gil for the President’s return, it’s a small price to pay.”

 

Vincent pursed his lips and nodded.  “Very well.  With luck, I won’t need to shapeshift.”

 

Reeve knew exactly why Vincent was so reluctant.  Regular clothes would be ripped to shreds if he shapechanged and when he reverted back to his natural form, he’d be practically naked as a result.  The man did have his modesty, after all.  Their eyes met again and Reeve nodded at him encouragingly.

 

_~My friend, I highly doubt that anyone would be offended by your nudity.~_

 

He kept the thought to himself and did his best to keep his expression neutral.  “We’ll have a robe put in the limo for you.”

 

~***************************************~

* * *

 

Sometime after two o’clock in the morning, Reeve was the only one still awake, besides Vincent.  Reno and Cloud had gone to his office to get some rest and Tseng and Rude had done the same.  Reeve had a keycard to private sleeping quarters in the building but he couldn’t bring himself to make use of it yet.  It was foolish and selfish, but he wanted to spend more time with Vincent.  He didn’t know how long it would be before he got the chance to sit and talk with him again, so he kept drinking coffee and holding off his exhaustion.

 

“You really should consider redecorating that mansion you’re living in,” Reeve said as he poured some cream in his coffee. 

 

Vincent smiled faintly at him from his seat at the table.  “I only use the one room.” 

 

Reeve shrugged and sat down, gingerly sipping at his hot drink.  “What if you have house guests visiting sometime?  Say…an old friend, perhaps?”  He raised his eyebrows at the gunman meaningfully.

 

A rare, soft laugh escaped the pale throat.  “I’ll consider it.” 

 

It was a familiar conversation between the two of them, one that neither of them grew tired of.  The trade of banter and teasing was comforting.  Reeve fought another yawn and Vincent frowned softly at him.

 

“You’re tired,” the gunman observed. 

 

Reeve shrugged.  “It’s a bit past my bedtime, yes.  I just want to wait a while longer, in case they find anything.”  It was a blatant lie.  There was no need for him to stay awake but he wasn’t about to tell Vincent how much he’d missed his companionship.

 

“If they find anything, we’ll wake you,” Vincent said.  “Tomorrow is going to be a busy day for all.  You should find rest while you can.”

 

“What about you?” Reeve asked.  “You aren’t…tired?”  The last was said around a yawn.

 

Vincent smiled crookedly.  “I believe I’ve had enough rest, for now.  I’ve only been awake for a few hours, after all.”

 

“Right,” Reeve remembered.  “Hmm, just a little while longer.  Come to the lounge with me?  We can find something to watch on the television.”

 

Vincent shrugged smoothly and stood up.  Reeve did the same and the two of them made their way to the elevator to go down to the second floor lounge.  Reeve watched his companion from the corner of his eye as they got into the elevator and selected the floor.  Vincent’s ageless, marble features were relaxed and as beautiful to him as always.  He wondered if his friend ever looked in the mirror and if so, if he ever saw what other people saw.

 

 _~Not likely,~_ He thought, _~Vincent’s seen himself as a monster for as long as I’ve known him.~_

The elevator dinged as they reached their floor and the doors opened.  In silent companionship, the two of them walked to the lounge area, which was thankfully deserted.  Reeve sank onto one of the leather lounges lining the wall with a sigh and picked up the remote attached to the coffee table by a security chain.  He flipped through the channels until he found a re-broadcast of the nightly news while Vincent sat down beside him.

 

“Is Cloud happy?” Vincent asked suddenly, softly.

 

Reeve nodded, having grown used to his friend’s abrupt and spontaneous questions.  “I think so.”

 

“Good.  Are you happy?”  Vincent turned in the seat to study him with hooded ruby eyes.

 

Reeve hesitated, sensing a hidden question within the question.  He was sure that Vincent was referring to Cloud’s relationship with Reno when he’d asked if he was happy, and unless he was mistaken, he was covertly asking if Reeve was with someone as well.

 

“I’m alone, but fairly happy.” Reeve answered carefully.  “You?”

 

Vincent smirked.  “Alone and much the same as always.”

 

Reeve nodded, having expected something of the sort.

 

_~I wonder if you’ll ever truly be happy again, Vincent…or if you ever were.~_

There was nothing that he could do for him, save being his friend as always.  He knew that the gunman took comfort in that, even if he rarely said so.  Reeve was, after all, one of the few people that could bring a genuine smile to Vincent’s face and he took pride in that.  The WRO director tried to keep his eyes open but they eventually drifted shut and his head fell back against the cushions of the lounge.  After a while, Vincent knew he was asleep and the gunman carefully took his half-finished cup of coffee out of his slackening grip and set it on the coffee table.  He looked around for a throw or a blanket to cover his companion with but there were none in the lounge, so instead he unfastened his cloak and tucked it around Reeve to keep him warm.

 

With that done, Vincent took his seat beside him again and silently watched the TV, content to be near Reeve even though he was sleeping.

 

“Rest well, friend,” Vincent murmured when Reeve shifted into a more comfortable position in his sleep.  He watched him for a while and he wondered if he was really happy.

 

~********************************~

* * *

 

-To be continued

 

 


	13. Chapter 13

“Guardian”

Chapter 13

~*******************************************~

* * *

*Disclaimer:  The world that this story is set in and all characters therein belong to Square-Enix.  This fiction piece is strictly a non-profit exercise of creativity and entertainment for people (like me) who can’t get enough of this world and the characters.* 

~***********************************************~

* * *

 

After a few hours, Rufus had a better idea of how many men were in on his abduction.  He’d seen seven different ones coming and going from the warehouse so far, but that didn’t mean there weren’t still more either guarding the building outside or in another location.  He dozed a bit on and off during the night, unable to truly sleep but nodding off now and then.  During the early hours before dawn, one of his captors took his gag off to give him some water.  Rufus congratulated himself for his patience and decided it was time to plant seeds of doubt.

 

The young man with the dark blonde ponytail that reminded him of Reno was his benefactor.  If Rufus’s guess was right, he was an impressionable person that had his doubts over this whole affair.

 

“Thank you,” he said graciously after having a few swallows of liquid.

 

“Don’t mention it,” the blonde replied with a quick glance into his eyes.

 

“You don’t seem to share your associates’ enthusiasm for this project,” Rufus observed, testing the waters.

 

The kidnapper shrugged.  “Some times you’ve just got to do what you have to if you want to get by.  Look, I don’t want to see you get hurt but I need money.”

 

Rufus smiled with dry humor.  “I could be mistaken, but there are easier, less dangerous ways to go about doing that.”

 

A ghost of a smile flitted over the young man’s lips.  “I know the things you could do to us if you get the chance.  I know we’re taking a big risk and I know I could keep finding odd jobs here and there.  The problem is the world is in such a sucky state right now, honest work isn’t easy to come by.  Maybe you can’t understand that because you’ve always had money.”

 

“Fair enough,” Rufus agreed.  “But if I were you, I would hide my reservations better.”

 

The blonde looked at him with a startled expression he couldn’t quite hide.  “What?”

 

“If it’s obvious to me, surely it’s obvious to your companions.  Tensions are going to mount as the time for making arrangements comes closer.  I can already see the glances of doubt and mistrust being exchanged between your people…many of which are directed at you.”  Rufus caught and held the kidnapper’s eyes.  “Don’t tell me you haven’t noticed.  The most immediate danger to your safety isn’t me or my company.”

 

The young man swallowed and cast a covert look behind his shoulder at the other kidnappers far across the warehouse.  “You’re just trying to make me nervous,” he accused in a whisper.

 

“Maybe,” Rufus shrugged.  “But still, I would be watching my back if I were you.  Just a bit of free advice.”

 

The young man studied him curiously for a moment.  “It’s like you’re not worried about what’s going to happen to you at all,” he observed.  “You’ve got some real balls, President Shinra.”

 

“I’ve never gotten any complaints in that department,” Rufus agreed lightly, provoking a little grin of amusement from his captor.  The president knew that he had just shifted the odds a bit, gaining a little trust from the young man while making him question how trustworthy his “friends” were.

 

~************************************~

* * *

 

Reeve was roused from his sleep by Vincent’s gentle shaking.  He grumbled and opened his eyes, his motions hampered by the blanket draped over his body.  It took him a moment to focus his eyes and it took another moment for him to realize that his head was resting on Vincent’s shoulder.  The gunman’s human hand gently shook him by the right shoulder again and Reeve lifted his head and looked into his eyes, so close to his own.

 

“Tseng has arranged a meeting for us,” Vincent murmured, his ruby gaze unblinking and calm.  “I’m sorry to wake you.  You slept through both of our phones ringing.”

 

Reeve took a moment to collect his wits before answering.  He covered his mouth on a yawn and eased his head off of his companion’s shoulder.  “I apologize for using you as a pillow,” he said.  “What time did I drift off?”

 

“Shortly after we sat down to watch television,” Vincent answered, “and I don’t mind that you slept on my shoulder.”

 

Reeve was flustered.  He couldn’t read anything in those marble features and he wondered what was hidden behind the mask of stoicism.  He looked down as he started to pull the blanket off of his body, only to realize it was no blanket at all.  Sometime in the night, Vincent had covered him with his cape. 

 

“Oh,” the WRO director said stupidly.  So that was what was different about Vincent this morning: no cape.  He pulled the garment off and handed it to his companion.  “This was thoughtful of you.”

 

“You were sleeping peacefully,” Vincent said as he took the cape back and stood up to drape it around his shoulders and fasten it.  “I didn’t want to wake you and there were not blankets convenient.”  His sooty lashes lowered and hid the fire of his eyes and Reeve found the gesture oddly bashful.

 

_~Is he…blushing?  No…I must be imagining it.~_

“I appreciate it,” Reeve said aloud as he stood up and stretched.  “From the sounds of it, you probably would have had a hell of a time getting me to get up and go to bed anyhow.  I assume we didn’t have any luck finding the kidnappers?”

 

Vincent shook his head.  “Unfortunately, no.  They must have anticipated that ShinRa would be searching for their vehicle.  They’ve either gotten rid of it or they’re keeping it inside a building somewhere to hide it from aerial and satellite detection.”

 

“Well, it was worth a shot,” Reeve sighed.  “Shall we?”

 

Vincent nodded and walked with him out of the lounge and to the elevators.  Reeve rubbed his neck and winced a little at the stiffness there.  Sleeping on the couch with his head on Vincent’s shoulder hadn’t been the most ergo dynamic choice, but he wasn’t about to complain.  He’d slept so deeply and well despite the discomfort and in his heart, Reeve knew that it was because of Vincent’s nearness.

 

_~I really need to pull it together and stop mooning over him, dammit.~_

~*************************************~

* * *

 

Tseng was already in the boardroom when the others began to file in for the meeting.  He had freshly brewed coffee, juice, cereal and bagels set up for their breakfast and waking needs.  Judging by their tired faces as they trudged in, he’d made a good call in providing the refreshments.

 

“I know we’re all tired, but it’s important that we prepare,” Tseng announced after everyone had selected their refreshments and taken a seat.  “Take a moment to wake yourselves up and put some food in your stomachs before we begin.”

 

Reeve and Vincent took a seat near the head of the table and both men exchanged familiar nods with Cloud as they sat down.  Reeve had a cup of steaming coffee and a bagel, while Vincent had poured himself a glass of orange juice.  The WRO director couldn’t seem to contain his yawns but his eyes were alert and thoughtful.

 

Cloud, Reno and Rude sat together and across from them, Elena and Cissnei sat beside each other.  Reno’s hair was mussed and he sipped his coffee with the dazed expression of one that hadn’t woken up yet.  Cloud seemed to be bright-eyed and bushy tailed, perhaps more accustomed to early hours due to his former military training and his current career.  He made a dry crack to Reno about lazy city boys, to which Reno gave him the finger and smirked. 

 

Tseng was a bit startled by the realization that Strife seemed perfectly at ease around the Turks now, and they in turn seemed at ease with him.  It seemed he’d become an unofficial member of their little family without any of them consciously realizing it.  Tseng wasn’t foolish enough to believe that Cloud could ever be convinced to join the organization but it was pretty clear that he could be considered an ally now—at least concerning things that he didn’t find immoral.  He and Reno leaned close to each other and spoke in whispers, their body language and eye contact revealing mutual warmth for each other. 

 

_~Of all the things we could have done to try and recruit Strife to our side, all it finally took was for Reno to get an itch and scratch it.  He may never don a suit or answer to company authority, but there’s little doubt now that he can be counted on when we need help.~_

Reno noticed Tseng’s stare and he met the Wutaian’s eyes across the room and raised his brows quizzically, silently asking his superior why he looked so pleased.  The dark eyes held his for a moment and glanced at Cloud meaningfully.  Tseng’s lips curved into a subtle smile and Reno thought he understood.  He returned the faint smile but his thoughts were too occupied with Rufus’s situation for him to gloat.

 

After allowing a few minutes for everyone to eat and become more alert, Tseng took his seat at the head of the table and began the meeting.

 

“As of now, we have a little over an hour to go before the President’s abductors are expected to call and make exchange arrangements,” the Turk director said.  “Does everyone here understand their part?”

 

There were nods all around.

 

“Excellent,” Tseng went on.  “Then I would suggest that we all make our preparations now, so that we can take immediate action and get into our designated positions when the contact point has been established.  Cloud, you and Vincent should go and get dressed for your roles—”

 

“Wait,” Cloud interrupted with a confused frown.  “Nobody said anything about me wearing a costume.”

 

Tseng realized that some tact would be required here.  “No?  I thought it was understood that since you’re representing the company as the liaison, you should dress accordingly.  Actually, what you were wearing when you came in yesterday should be fine.”

 

Cloud looked uncomfortable.  “I would wear that, but chances are there’s going to be a fight sooner or later and I don’t want it ruined.  What’s wrong with what I’ve got on now?  I mean, I’m sure they know I’m not a ShinRa employee.”

 

Tseng eyed the blonde’s customary ensemble of cargo pants, boots and a sleeveless sweater and he tried to think of a way to explain without insulting the blonde.  While the outfit looked great on Cloud and suited him well, it wasn’t appropriate for this mission.  “Like Vincent, your regular attire isn’t appropriate for this.  You need to show up looking like you’re ready to do business, not crack heads.  If you go in combat gear with your sword strapped to your back…”  He trailed off and let the sentence finish itself.

 

Cloud sighed.  “Got it.  So what is it you want me to wear?”  His eyes narrowed on Tseng and he added; “I’m NOT wearing a Turk uniform, if that’s what you’re thinking.”

 

Tseng nearly chuckled.  He’d expected no less of the fighter.  “Of course not.  As I said before, what you wore yesterday would be an example of a more professional outfit.  I understand your reluctance to risk soiling it however, so we can improvise.”  He rubbed his chin and measured the blonde with his eyes.  He knew his next suggestion might not sit well either, but there wasn’t a lot of time.  “You’re almost of a size with President Shinra.  I can look in his office closet for something for you to wear.”

 

Cloud opened his mouth, shut it, then heaved another sigh.  He’d worn Rufus’s chauffeur uniform once after all, and the two of them had fucked on more than one occasion as well.  “I guess it’s too late for me to get outraged over that idea.”  He immediately wished he hadn’t said that out loud and he did his best to cover it.  “Since I’ve already agreed to help.  What do you think Rufus is going to say about me wearing his clothes, though?”

 

From the corner of his eye, he saw the quick, knowing look that Reno and Rude exchanged and he swallowed and hoped nobody else picked up on the underlying meaning.  Tseng hid any amusement he might have felt under a calm mask, but Cloud thought he could see a sparkle in the raven-haired Turk’s dark eyes.

 

 “I can’t imagine him having a problem with it, considering that you’re doing it to rescue him,” answered Tseng dryly, “Thank you for your cooperation, Cloud.  Please, come with me to his office and we’ll see what we can find for you.  Vincent, if you’ll go with Elena she’ll find a chauffeur uniform in your size.”

 

~*********************************~

* * *

 

A little more than twenty minutes later, Cloud stepped out of Rufus’s private bathroom wearing a deep green dress shirt and cream colored pants.  The lace-up dress shoes that went with the outfit matched the color of the pants.  They were a little loose on his feet but not uncomfortable.  A tan belt with a silver buckle was threaded through the belt loops and fastened around his waist. 

 

“I think we chose well,” Tseng commented with an appreciative look in his eye.  “How does it feel?”

 

Cloud shrugged, thankful that the Turk hadn’t tried to make him wear a tie.  “Weird, but I’ll get over it.  Let’s go back down with the others.”

 

Tseng nodded in concordance.  They took the elevator back down and returned to the boardroom where the others were.  Reno gave Cloud an unconcealed look of appreciation as soon as they walked in and the blonde flushed lightly, lowering his sapphire eyes as he took a seat beside the redhead.  He almost jumped when he felt Reno’s hand squeeze his knee under the table.

 

“When this is over, we’re definitely gonna fuck,” Reno whispered in Cloud’s ear.  Last night he’d been too nervous and upset to do it and Cloud hadn’t pressured him.  The blonde had kissed him and held him through the night, giving him his support and comfort without once trying to initiate more than that.  Reno appreciated that a lot, but seeing Cloud once again looking hot in a sharp outfit, he was beginning to regret not doing more.

 

Cloud felt like he was blushing to the roots of his hair and he quietly reached under the table and stopped Reno’s hand from sliding up his thigh.  “Okay,” he murmured out the corner of his mouth, “save it for then, will you?”

 

Reno smirked ruefully and allowed the blonde to remove his hand.  “Just expressing myself, Blondie,” he whispered.

 

“What is everyone’s status?” Tseng inquired as he laid his cellphone on the table and allowed the technician to hook it up to a tracking device.

 

“The chopper’s being fueled up and loaded into a transport,” Reno reported, “Rude and I are gonna go down and board it as soon as it’s ready for us.”

 

“Elena and Vincent should be coming back at any moment,” Cissnei said.  “I’ve got the limo waiting in the parking garage, so everything should be ready to go by the time we get a meeting location from the kidnappers.”

 

“I’ve brought a possible distraction,” Reeve said as he gestured to a small crate that had been brought into the boardroom.  “Just in case.”

 

Cloud looked at the crate and then looked at Reeve.  He started to ask the engineer if it contained what he thought it did but the door opened at that moment and Elena walked in, with Vincent following behind.  Cloud looked up and blinked.  He’d never seen the gunman in anything except his body armor and cape before.  Now Vincent stood before the rescue team in an expensive black chauffeur uniform, complete with a black hat.  The outfit molded to his frame, unlike the standard loose fitting style more commonly seen.  His hair looked like it had been brushed thoroughly and it spilled out from under the hat, flowing over his shoulders and down his back.  It shone in the light with raven highlights, looking sleek and soft.

 

“I thought the black uniform suited him best,” Elena said proudly, gesturing to the gunman as if showing off a work of art she’d made.  “Doesn’t he look great?  I was going to have him tie his hair back but I think leaving it loose gives him some flare.”

 

Cloud heard a soft gurgling sound to his left and he shot a look at Reeve, guessing the noise had come from him.

 

  _~Oh, you poor bastard.~_

Reeve had the dazed look of someone that had just been beamed over the head.  His lips were parted and his eyes were glossy and fixed as they stared at Vincent. 

 

The gunman looked back at Reeve and frowned slightly, misunderstanding his expression.  “Unfortunately, it can’t be helped,” he said as he lifted his golden-clawed hand.  “It won’t fit in a glove.”

 

Reeve swallowed and cleared his throat.  “Yes, well…uh…er…”

 

_~Say something, you idiot!~_

He gave himself a mental slap and forced himself to relax.  “It’s fine, Vincent.  I was just a bit surprised.”  He smiled at his friend.  “You look like you belong in a rock video.”

 

Vincent tilted his head slightly, his alabaster features puzzled.  “Musicians typically wear chauffeur garb?”

 

Reno snickered softly and excused himself, claiming he needed to use the men’s room.  Cloud’s mouth twitched but he contained himself.  He didn’t know what was funnier; poor Reeve’s flustered reaction to seeing Vincent dressed that way, or Vincent’s naivety.  It was obvious now that the two of them hadn’t acted on the chemistry they shared. 

 

“No,” Reeve tried to explain, “they don’t wear…well, not when they’re performing.  I just mean in videos they sometimes use themes.  You know, to tell a story to go with the song and…oh, never mind.”  Reeve waved his hand and gave up when Vincent’s ruby gaze remained uncomprehending.  “Suffice to say you make a good chauffeur.”

 

 “Oh here, I almost forgot these,” Elena said suddenly as she remembered something.  She produced a pair of men’s shades from her blazer pocket and fit them over Vincent’s eyes.  “There.  That should help draw attention away from you.”

 

He didn’t complain about it.  He looked at Reeve expectantly, as if seeking his approval.  The engineer nodded and gave the thumbs-up…probably because his voice was wedged in his throat.  His handsome face was tense, hinting that he was trying very hard to control his expression. 

 

“I believe you said something about a distraction, Reeve?” Tseng reminded politely, inadvertently saving Reeve from the situation.

 

The WRO director cleared his throat again before speaking.  “Ah.  Yes.  I brought my new prototype.”  He went to the crate and opened it to reveal a very realistic looking squirrel monkey with golden fur that tapered into black around his head and the tip of his tail.  “This is…uh…”  Reeve struggled to remember his own creation’s name, his eyes still shooting to Vincent.

 

“Monkeyshines,” Cloud supplied helpfully, coughing into his hand to control a laugh.

 

“Right,” Reeve said with some relief.  “Monkeyshines.  Normally I would bring Cait Sith for this sort of thing, but I presumed the kidnappers might know about him already.”  He reached up to take the small pendant he wore around his neck between his thumb and forefinger, pressing down.  The monkey in the box came to life and blinked its beady black eyes, looking around curiously.  It saw Reeve and it climbed out of the box and scampered up his body to sit on his left shoulder.

 

“Oh, he’s so cute!”  Cissnei exclaimed.  She reached out with an adoring expression and petted the little mechanical animal on the head.

 

Vincent stared at the monkey.  “I suppose Monkeyshines is meant to spy for us?”

 

“Amongst other things,” Reeve agreed.  “He could filch something useful like a key if needed, or do a bit of sabotage.  Originally I was going to bring his crank and hire someone to play it, but there isn’t a point to that since the kidnappers aren’t likely to have chosen a building in a populated city area to hold Rufus.”

 

Vincent raised a black brow.  “What would the display have accomplished?”

 

Reeve looked a little embarrassed.  “I thought nobody would give a performing animal trainer a second thought, let alone a dancing monkey.  As it is, if we have to use him and he gets spotted, the kidnappers are probably going to wonder what in the hell a monkey is doing loose in the area but they aren’t likely to make a connection to us.”

 

“I see,” Vincent responded thoughtfully.  “That’s sound reasoning.”

 

Reeve relaxed, feeling a little less foolish.

 

“Can he talk, like Cait Sith?” Elena asked.

 

“Hell no,” Reeve chuckled.  “I decided I get enough mouth from the cat without giving this one the power of speech, too.”

 

The monkey looked at Reeve and Cloud could have sworn it looked insulted.

 

~**********************************~

* * *

 

The kidnappers called right on time and instructed for them to bring the money to the very alley behind the very restaurant that they had abducted Rufus from.  As Reeve suspected, they wanted to see the money first and then they said they’d escort Cloud to where they were holding Rufus to make the exchange.  Reno was outraged when he found out they were meeting him at the same spot they nabbed Rufus and he let out a string of expletives.

 

“They’ve got some fucking balls, man,” the redhead snarled after Tseng hung up with the contact.  “Goddammit, I’m gonna kill every one of the bastards!”

 

“Reno, calm yourself or I’ll have to cut you from the mission,” Tseng ordered firmly.  “You can exact vengeance after we’ve retrieved President Shinra safely and not a moment before that.”

 

Rude patted his fuming partner’s shoulder and the redhead settled down with visible effort.  “Lets get to the chopper,” Rude suggested as Cloud and Vincent followed Cissnei out of the boardroom.  “The sooner we get there and find out the boss’s location, the sooner we can kick some ass.”

 

“You got it, partner,” Reno agreed, exchanging a quick slap of hands with the bigger man.

 

Tseng, Elena and Reeve left together with two tracking operatives.  Three more teams composed of Turks and military operatives were waiting to follow, ready to provide backup when and if the time came for it.

 

~********************************~

* * *

 

“Here’s your limo,” Cissnei explained as she stopped in front of the sleek, black vehicle.  “I picked this one out for you because it’s designed for protection and covert operations.  The glass is bulletproof, there’s a hidden camera to feed images back to us of what’s going on outside the car and there are hidden compartments inside for your weapons.” She nodded meaningfully at Cloud’s wicked yet bulky Tsurugi, which he held with familiar ease.  “It isn’t like you can conceal a blade that size.”

 

She opened the driver side door and leaned in, angling her body so that they could watch her pop the catch that opened up a panel under the front seats.  “See?  Anybody that doesn’t know its there won’t find it and you can stash your weapons in there to hide them.  This switch here activates the camera.  We’ll have to rely on cellphones for communication but we’ll be able to see it if anything gets hairy.”

 

Cloud smirked and nodded.  “Right.  Vincent and I can work out a plan to get our weapons out when they’re needed.”

 

Vincent frowned and lifted his golden claw hand meaningfully.  Cissnei saw the motion and bit her lip.  “You obviously can’t hide _that_ , but I don’t think they’ll be too concerned over a mechanical limb, even if it can cut someone.  At worse they might insist that you stay behind and Cloud follow them without you.  If that happens we can pick you up and you’ll still make it there for the rescue operation.”

 

“Agreed,” Vincent said with a nod at Cloud.  “With any luck, it won’t come to that.”  He unbuckled his holster containing Cerberus and he put the gun in the compartment under the driver’s side.  Cloud handed him his weapon next and Vincent placed the Tsurugi under the passenger side front seat.  “Shall we?” he said when both weapons were secured and the panels were closed.

 

“Let’s motor,” Cloud agreed with a little smile.  There was a light shining in his bright eyes that was all too familiar to Vincent and the gunman smiled quietly back, equally fired up for battle.  One could almost feel sorry for the kidnappers.

 

~******************************~

* * *

 

As it turned out, the limo they were using was an automatic and the last car Vincent had driven had been a stick shift.  The first thing the gunman did was frown at the floor when he noticed the lack of a clutch pedal.  He stared at the letters “P, N, R, D and D2” lighting the panel beside the gearshift silently, trying to understand their meaning.  He’d ridden with Reeve before and he’d seen the engineer operate an automatic, but he’d never paid much attention.

 

“What’s wrong?” Cloud asked from the back seat.

 

“I…I’m not familiar with these controls,” Vincent answered in a soft, uncomfortable tone.

 

“What do you mean?” Cloud asked.  “It’s just a standard.”

 

Vincent peered at him through the rearview mirror.  “Standards hadn’t come out yet when I last drove.  Tell me what gears these letters represent, please.”

 

Cloud blinked at him for a moment.  He kept forgetting that Vincent was much older than he looked and very out of touch with the world.  “Uh, sorry.  Listen, it’s easy.”  The blonde explained how to operate the auto transmission and followed up by advising that he just stick with the standard “drive” mode to avoid confusion.  Vincent nodded along and when he started the car and began to reverse out of the parking space, Cloud braced himself and checked his seatbelt.  He relaxed a moment later when the gunman smoothly backed the limo out and drove it out of the garage. 

 

Vincent pulled out into the street with no trouble and it seemed that the traffic rules hadn’t changed since his day, because he had no further trouble driving.  He reached up to the overhead panel and flipped the switch that Cissnei had shown him, nodding at Cloud.  Cloud pulled out his cell and selected the speed dial for the secured line they were using for communications.

 

“Tseng?  Yeah, we’re on Ninth Avenue now.  Are you getting a visual feed from the camera yet?  Good.  Where are you?”  Cloud twisted around in his seat and looked through the back window.  “That silver Marcus about a block behind us?  Yeah, I see it.  Uh-huh.  Yeah, even from that far back, Reno and Rude’s transport truck is hard to miss.  They’re going to have to find somewhere to park waaay back from the alley and hang far back when these guys escort us to Rufus.  Yeah.  I guess you’ll be able to see it if we get in any real trouble and you’ll just have to decide if you think we need backup or not.  Okay, thanks.”

 

Cloud hung up and replaced the phone in the pocket of his borrowed pants.  “So far, so good,” he informed Vincent.

 

They arrived at the front of the Ocean Front restaurant approximately ten minutes later and Cloud checked behind them once more to be certain that Tseng was still following.  When he spotted the familiar silver car he gave Vincent the go-ahead and the gunman turned onto the street that ran alongside the building.  He found the narrow alley behind the restaurant and pulled into it slowly.  At the end of the alley, he and Cloud could see an older model white two-door car waiting.  As the limo pulled up, the doors of the other car opened and two men stepped out.

 

Vincent and Cloud studied the men and the alley surrounding them alertly, taking stock of the situation before getting out of the vehicle.

 

“Second floor window of the building across from the restaurant,” Cloud murmured, looking up.  Vincent glanced up and spotted the shadowed movement.  He nodded.  Someone was in there and there was a glint of metal hinting that the occupant was armed.  The two liaisons evidently hadn’t come alone.  There was nothing to be done about it now because they still needed to be led to Rufus before they could take any action.  Vincent cut the engine and got out, opening the door for Cloud without bothering to try and conceal his golden claw hand.

 

Both of the kidnappers noticed the prosthetic and they looked from Vincent to each other uncertainly as Cloud stepped out of the back of the limo.  “What’s with him?” the taller man asked with a gesture at Vincent.

 

Cloud looked at Vincent blandly, then back at the kidnappers.  “You’ve never seen a chauffeur before?”

 

“He means the claw, asshole,” the shorter one snapped.

 

“Car accident,” Vincent answered coldly.  “I don’t appreciate it when people stare.”

 

The two thugs looked as if they wanted to make a threat or a comeback in response to that, but something in the tall driver’s stance and chill voice stopped them.  His sculpted features were like marble—perfect and cruel beneath the stylish hat and the dark shades.  His raven hair stirred in the breeze but his body held perfectly still.  Both men decided their attention was better spent elsewhere, for now.

 

“Let’s see the money,” the taller one demanded of Cloud.

 

Cloud wordlessly ducked back into the back of the limo and retrieved the briefcase he’d brought with him.  Vincent crossed his arms over his chest and stood silently while the blonde approached the kidnappers with the briefcase in hand.  One of the thugs drew his jacket aside to display a gun.

 

“Take it slow and easy,” he advised, drawing the weapon and training it on Cloud.

 

Cloud paused and narrowed his eyes, then shrugged and started forward again at a slower pace.  He walked around to the front of the limo and laid the briefcase down over the hood.  He pulled out a key and unlocked the briefcase before opening it and stepping aside so that the kidnappers could look at the stacks of bills inside.  The taller one approached and reached out, keeping his eyes on Cloud and Vincent while his companion kept his gun aimed at them.  When neither of the men moved to stop him, he lifted one of the wads out and thumbed through the bills to be sure they were authentic gil.  When he was satisfied that they were, he quickly looked over the rest of the money and did the math.

 

“It’s all here,” he said over his shoulder to his accomplice.  He replaced the stack he’d taken out and nodded to Cloud, stepping back again.  “You’ll have to let us search you and your car before we take you to him.”

 

“Of course,” Cloud said dryly, nearly rolling his eyes.  So far, these guys were doing everything just the way Reeve and the Turks predicted they would.  The uncanny accuracy in predicting their actions would have surprised Cloud a few years ago.  Now he was familiar enough with the way their organization ran to understand that they knew how these people thought—because they themselves conducted business of a similar nature.

 

_~What’s that old saying?  “It takes a thief to catch a thief”, or something like that?~_

 

Cloud went first and he held his arms out and spread his legs as instructed, holding still as they patted him down.  When they were satisfied that he was clean, they moved on to Vincent.  Naturally they found nothing on him except for his claw, which was attached to him.

 

“Hey, is this thing real gold?” asked the shorter thug as he examined the mechanical hand.

 

“Yes,” Vincent lied.  Actually, it was a mixture of titanium, bronze and Mako infused steel, but he allowed them to believe it was made of the soft, expensive alloy because it made them less likely to see it as a functional weapon.

 

The taller one gave a low whistle.  “Flashy. Did ShinRa have it grafted?”

 

Vincent’s pale lips quirked into an ironic, humorless smile.  “They certainly did.”

 

Cloud knew how Vincent obtained the metallic limb and he winced a little.  Yeah, ShinRa was responsible for his hand being replaced with the prosthetic claw, but it wasn’t an act of compassion and he didn’t lose the hand to a car accident.  The blonde found it hard to look at his friend suddenly.  There they both were, trying to rescue the owner of the company that had caused Vincent so much misery.  It wasn’t the fault of the present employees that Hojo and the old president had committed so many sins against the planet and humanity, but there was still a connection and ShinRa Inc still had dark corners to be swept out.

 

“Hey, maybe we should take his claw as extra payment for having to put up with their asshole leader,” the shorter man said with a grin.  “I’ll bet it’s worth at least fifty-thousand.”

 

“You can try,” Vincent invited.  The deep, hollow tone of his voice held the chill of the grave in it and both men backed away uneasily, though the gunman hadn’t moved a muscle.

 

“He seems pretty seasoned for a limo driver,” remarked the taller one to Cloud, suspicion growing on his face.  “You trying to pull something, Strife?”

 

_~Shit…you’re spooking them too much, Vincent.  Play it down a little, man.~_

“He’s a ShinRa employee,” Cloud shrugged.  “Not even the janitors in that building are meek.  Maybe you don’t know as much about their company as you think you do.”

 

The thugs considered both of them for a few moments and finally exchanged glances between them.  “Move aside so we can check out your car,” the taller one finally said.

 

Cloud and Vincent obliged and the blonde shot a warning look at his taller friend and very softly muttered, “Take it easy with the intimidation, Vincent.  You don’t know your own strength.”

 

Vincent looked at him sidelong, his features cool and calm.  “I _was_ taking it easy.”

 

~************************************~

* * *

 

-To be continued

 

 

 

      

 

 

 

 

 

 


	14. Chapter 14

“Guardian”

Chapter 14

~*******************************************~

* * *

*Disclaimer:  The world that this story is set in and all characters therein belong to Square-Enix.  This fiction piece is strictly a non-profit exercise of creativity and entertainment for people (like me) who can’t get enough of this world and the characters.* 

~***********************************************~

* * *

 

“Won’t be long before we find out if your people are loyal to you or not,” the big kidnapper remarked with a cruel grin as he checked Rufus’s cuffs.  “I’m almost willing to bet they’ll just leave you to die.  What do you think, Rich Boy?”

 

“I think someone needs to introduce you to a little invention known as deodorant,” Rufus answered coolly, wrinkling his nose for emphasis.  The temptation to kick the man was fierce but he couldn’t maneuver himself into a position to get a good shot at him without attracting attention.  “But it doesn’t really matter, seeing as a corpse has no need for personal hygiene.”

 

The big man glared at him.  “Still feeling cocky, eh?”

 

“It isn’t hard, given that I’m surrounded by buffoons.  You really have no idea what you’ve gotten yourself into.  I wonder how you’ll react when my people are tugging your nails free from your fingers or gouging your eyes out.”  Rufus smiled.  “Will you suffer in silence or will you squeal like the coward you are?”

 

Rufus realized he’d pushed his captor too far when the cords on the guy’s neck stood out with rage.  The younger man that the president had been getting along with fairly well was nearby and he must have noticed as well, for he started forward with an alarmed expression.  There was no way to avoid the blow that came and Rufus saw stars as the bigger kidnapper’s knuckles collided with his face.  He suffered the blow in silence as his head snapped to the side and he gathered his wits and looked up at the thug with a glare.  Blood trickled out of his nose and over his lip but Rufus paid no attention to it.

 

“Paul, cut it out!” the guy with the blond ponytail cried as he started forward.

 

“Paul” didn’t listen.  He looked like an angry bull as he hit Rufus again, this time in the ribs.  “You like that, you fancy asshole?” he growled, “I’m gonna fuck you up good this time!”

 

Rufus had no time to react as the large hands wrapped around his throat and squeezed.  The handful of other kidnappers inside the building saw the commotion and they rushed to help the blonde guy wrestle Paul off of the president.  Rufus struggled instinctively as his air supply was choked off, but with his hands cuffed behind his back and the kidnapper’s body pressing so close, there was little he could do.

 

_~I may not have thought this through very well.~_

It took the combined efforts of all three of the present abductors to pull the big thug off of Rufus and they nearly went down in a tangle of limbs when they finally broke his hold.  The captive executive inhaled sharply and coughed when he was released and for a horrible moment, he feared he was going to vomit.  The moment ended as two of the kidnappers began ushering Paul toward the reinforced doors leading out.

 

“Adrian, keep an eye on him,” ordered the guy that looked like he was related to Paul.  “Come on, Paul…he’ll be out of our hands soon enough, man.  Chill.  Let’s go outside and take a breather.”

 

Rufus dramatized his condition as they left, his quick mind pointing out to him that with the three of them gone, he would be left with only one guard on the inside.  If he was going to make a move, there wouldn’t be a better opportunity.  He counted on the compassionate streak of the young man who he now knew was named “Adrian” as the other kidnappers went outside.

 

“You okay?” Adrian asked as he squatted before Rufus and watched him with concern he couldn’t hide.  “Do you want some water or something?”

 

Rufus nodded and continued dragging in ragged gulps of air.  The young man hurried away to the bathroom and returned moments later with a plastic glass filled with tap water.  He paused as he stood over Rufus, seeing how he was struggling for breath.

 

“I think I may get sick,” Rufus whispered hoarsely, not entirely fabricating.  “I also need to use the restroom.”  The second part was completely true.  He hadn’t emptied his bladder since before he was abducted and the final insult in this situation would be for him to piss himself.

 

Adrian considered him warily.  “I…I guess I can help you.”

 

“You intend to wipe my ass?” Rufus inquired with a scowl, lying about which wastes he needed to expel.  “It wouldn’t be a pleasant endeavor for either of us and frankly, I’d rather shit myself than be treated like an invalid, on top of everything else you people have done to me.”

 

Adrian looked even more uncomfortable and uncertain.  “Look, I can’t undo your cuffs.  If something happened—”

 

“What do you think would happen?” Rufus interrupted with a swallow.  “Look at me.  I’m in no condition to overpower you and even if I were, where would I go?  Just allow me the use of my hands long enough for me to relieve myself and get cleaned up, and then you can cuff me again.  Otherwise you’re left with a choice between playing the geriatric nurse or being in the company of a man who reeks of shit and vomit.  It’s your decision.”

 

Adrian pictured the reaction that the president’s people would have when they got their boss back and found him covered in bruises, blood, excrement and vomit.  He knew that he and his cohorts were already treading on thin ice and the more Rufus Shinra was mistreated, the more likely it would be that his company and the Turks would hunt them down to the ends of Gaia.  He was already beginning to think he’d never find a hole deep enough to hide in as it was.  It was in his best interests to show some kindness and compassion for the prisoner, in case things went sour. 

 

“Okay, but you have to promise me you’ll cooperate,” Adrian finally said.  Not that he expected the man to keep such a promise, but it felt like the right thing to say and Rufus did make a valid point concerning his condition and situation.

 

“It isn’t as though I have any other choice,” the president replied dryly.  He swallowed again and closed his eyes.  “You might want to hurry, Adrian.”

 

Adrian nodded and went to the other side of the warehouse to retrieve the keys to the cuffs that were being kept in a box near the television.  Rufus watched him through lowered lashes, surreptitiously flexing his muscles and preparing his body for action as best he could.  He had to time it precisely or he’d blow his only chance. 

 

Adrian returned with the keys and stopped before him.  “Can you lean forward so I can reach the cuffs?” he asked.

 

Rufus nodded and did so as best he could.  His stomach churned at the motion and he wondered if he really _was_ going to get sick—all over his brand new designer shoes, no less.  He felt the other man’s lean body press against his back as Adrian reached down to unlock the cuffs and he was once again reminded of Reno.  If for no other reason than the faint comfort of that, Rufus decided that Adrian, at least, would be spared when this was all over.  Of course, the young man would be imprisoned and rehabilitated, but Rufus had no desire to have him killed.

 

There was a click as the cuffs were unlocked and Adrian removed them and squatted down before him again, regarding him with concern.

 

 _~Perfect position.~_  

 

Rufus straightened up and gingerly brought his arms to the front, wincing a little at the stiffness in them.  He rubbed his wrists and sat back for a moment, knowing he had a very short window of time before the others returned.  He debated on whether he had time to go to the bathroom and still act on his plan before that happened.  Deciding he couldn’t dawdle, he shoved the discomfort of his bladder to the back of his mind.

 

“Adrian.”

 

The young man looked at him.  “Yeah?”

 

“You have something on your face.”

 

The other man reached up to touch his face automatically, distracted by the comment.  “I do?” 

 

Rufus’s foot snapped up and the next thing the young man saw was the hard sole of the president’s shoe rushing at his face.  It connected with his head before he could react and he only felt a moment of pain before he fell to the floor, unconscious.

 

“Yes, the heel of my shoe,” Rufus finished as he watched the young man crumple to the floor.  He took a deep breath and heaved himself out of the chair, already knowing where he would go to make his escape attempt.  He’d been studying his surroundings the entire time and he knew that even if there were a back door, it would likely be guarded.  His only option was the ventilation system and he didn’t fool himself into thinking he could actually make it outside and away from this place without being spotted.  His intention was to elude his captors long enough for his Turks to get there, so that his life couldn’t be used as a bargaining chip.

 

He wished he had his guns but they had naturally taken them from him when they abducted him and he had no idea where they’d put them.  More than likely, they had already pawned them or one of them had claimed them as a prize.  They were top of the line weapons, after all. 

 

_~No matter.  Even if I were armed, I’d still be outnumbered.  The guns are replaceable.~_

Rufus didn’t tarry further.  He quickly made his way to the back of the warehouse, where he’d seen a vent he could climb into.  The indignity of it all hardly bothered him as he climbed onto a crate and reached up to pry the cover from the large vent.  He only hoped that the ducts were secured well enough to the ceiling to hold his weight.

 

~**********************************~

 

Vincent followed behind the kidnappers in the limo and Cloud made a quick phone call to Tseng to make sure the rescue teams were able to track them.

 

“We have a lock on your cellphone,” Tseng informed him, “and you’re in visual range.  Everything is going according to plan.”

 

Cloud felt a bit uneasy about the bit concerning his cellphone being tracked, but he didn’t say anything.  He could worry about getting another phone later, after this fiasco was over with.  “Okay.  We’re probably not going to be able to communicate like this anymore after this, so just try to keep up.”  After he put the phone away he looked through the divider window at Vincent.  All he could see of his friend’s face in the rearview mirror were his shades.

 

“Hey Vincent, can I ask you something?”

 

Vincent nodded and Cloud continued, “I thought the Turks gave up their last names when they joined, but you still go by Valentine.  Were the rules different when you joined?”

 

“No,” answered the gunman, “I simply reclaimed my surname when I was no longer a part of the organization.”

 

“Oh,” Cloud said.  “That makes sense.” 

 

Ever since Reno had given in and told him what his last name used to be, Cloud thought of him as “Reno Flynn” in his head.  Maybe that was part of what began to change his perception of the redhead…knowing that he was more than a Turk.  Try as he might, he could no longer see him as “Reno of the Turks”.  He understood why such an organization would require members to give up part of their identity.  Hell, the military wasn’t much different in that respect.  Molding people into the perfect soldiers required breaking down their identity, first.  The Turks were soldiers of a sort, after all.

 

They were driving further and further away from Midgar, even away from the rural areas outside of the city.  Cloud got a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach as they passed farmlands and forested areas.  It was going to be more difficult for the Turks to continue following without arousing suspicion, because there was little to no traffic now and the places they could stop and wait were getting fewer and further between.  He twisted around and looked through the back window after a while, worried about how easily Tseng’s car and the following vehicles could be seen.  To his surprise, they were gone.  Deciding he had enough time for one more call, he pulled out his cellphone again and selected the secured line.

 

“Don’t worry, Cloud,” Tseng’s voice said as soon as the Wutaian answered the phone.  “We had to break off because it would have been too obvious for us to continue following behind you, but we’re still monitoring your progress.  Help will be available if you need it.”

 

Cloud relaxed.  “Got it.  You must have read my mind because I was just thinking about telling you to hang back.”

 

“Please be careful,” Tseng answered before he ended the call.

 

Cloud replaced the phone and watched the road.  After fifteen more minutes of driving, they approached an old factory.  It appeared to be abandoned and there were large warehouses near the back of the compound.  The kidnapper’s car pulled off of the road and drove through the broken gates, and Vincent followed.  They could see now that there were more people involved in this than they first guessed.  There were fifteen to twenty armed men standing guard throughout the compound and there was no telling how many were inside of the buildings.

 

“It’s never anything simple,” grumbled Cloud.

 

“Not for us,” agreed Vincent softly.

 

“You might want to get your gun out from under the seat,” Cloud suggested. 

 

“Sound advice.”  Vincent reached beneath him for the hidden catch and popped the panel open.  “What about your sword?”

 

“It’s too big and obvious,” answered Cloud reluctantly.  “We’ll just have to wait on that.”

 

They followed the kidnappers to the rear of the compound and Cloud was a little relieved when they drove into one of the open warehouses.  It gave them some privacy from the other guards and offered a chance to break in and find Rufus.  Vincent played his role perfectly, cutting the engine and getting out to open Cloud’s door for him.  Their escorts likewise got out of their vehicles and one of them went to the door against the right wall that led into the other warehouse buildings.  Two guards stood there and they spoke with him while Cloud and Vincent waited.

 

 _~Something’s wrong,~_ Cloud observed when he noticed the expression of disbelief cross the escort’s face.  He couldn’t hear what the kidnappers were saying but he could tell by the motions they made and the looks on their faces that something was going on.  He exchanged a look with Vincent before approaching the kidnapper who had stayed behind to keep an eye on him. 

 

“What’s the problem?”  Cloud asked.

 

“There’s no problem,” he man insisted, though he was shooting nervous looks at his companion across the way.  “Just relax and make sure the money’s ready.”

 

Cloud moved back to Vincent, who was staring at the other kidnappers and the two guards with a faint look of concentration on his face.  Knowing the gunman’s extraordinary senses the way he did, Cloud assumed he could hear some of what they were saying.

 

“They’ve lost Rufus,” Vincent murmured softly out the corner of his mouth.

 

Cloud couldn’t control his incredulous expression as he stared at the gunman.  “What?  How?”

 

Vincent shrugged fluidly, his eyes remaining on the kidnappers.  “It seems they underestimated his cunning.  They’re trying to find him now.”

 

“Then they can’t hold us back with threats against him,” Cloud reasoned.

 

“No,” agreed Vincent, his lips curving into a faint, pleased smile.  “They can’t.”

 

The escort finished his conversation with his cohorts and approached the limo.  “All right, hand the money over and we’ll bring him out to you.”  To his credit, he kept a straight face as he said this.  Cloud saw one of the two guards pull out a cell and bring it to his ear.  The other was reaching into his jacket and trying not to be obvious about it.

 

Cloud and Vincent exchanged a look.  It was clear that they intended to get the money from them and then shoot them.  Negotiations were finished. 

 

“I’ll get it, Sir,” Vincent said smoothly to Cloud.  The briefcase was in the back seat but the kidnappers weren’t aware of that.  Vincent opened the driver’s side door and ducked into the limo while they waited.  He moved with good haste, opening the secondary weapon panel and retrieving Cloud’s Tsurugi while their opponents were preoccupied. 

 

Cloud saw what his friend was doing and he prepared himself.  Vincent slid back out of the limo and straightened up, tossing the weapon to him smoothly.  Cloud caught it and spun it in his hand as the kidnappers gaped in confused surprise.

 

“You people suck,” growled the blonde as he jumped onto the hood of the limo and rolled towards one of them.  The man was taken by surprise and Cloud’s weapon struck him painfully in the ribs before he could draw his gun.  His companions quickly got over their shock and began to retaliate.  Cerberus blew a neat hole in the foremost kidnapper’s hand and sent his weapon flying.  He opened his mouth to scream, only to get a bullet in the head before the sound could escape. 

 

“Vince, they probably heard that,” Cloud grunted in warning as he used his sword to deflect two shots aimed at him.  Cerberus was a formidable weapon and it made its presence known quite loudly.

 

Vincent peered out at the opened garage door and saw that some of the men guarding the compound were hurrying over.  He quickly surveyed the situation and he spotted the chain that controlled the door.  Without hesitation, he took aim with his gun and fired, shattering one of the links.  The door dropped closed with a screech of metal, temporarily blocking their opposition from reaching them.

 

Cloud took out the remaining kidnappers in a non-lethal fashion and Vincent smirked with amusement as he rendered them unconscious.  “Would they have been so kind to you?” he asked as he joined the blonde at the doorway leading to the other storage building.

 

“Probably not,” Cloud said with a shrug.  “That doesn’t mean I have to drop to their level.”  He searched the guards until he found keys on one of them and he glanced sidelong at Vincent as he unlocked the door.  “Whoever’s on the other side probably knows there’s trouble.”

 

Vincent nodded and stood behind Cloud with Cerberus aimed at the door.  “I have you covered.”

 

~***********************************~

* * *

 

Rufus crawled through the ducts, knowing that his captors were onto him.  He heard swearing and banging from somewhere within the narrow, metal walls and he knew that at least two of them were inside searching for him.

 

_~The first thing I’m going to do when I get home will be to take a bath.  A bubble bath.  With champagne and perhaps some soft music playing.  And Reno.  I’ll have Reno with me…Tseng too.  What the hell, it’s my fantasy…I’ll have Rude and Cloud while I’m at it.~_

Owning a bathtub the size of a hot tub—complete with water jets—had its advantages after all.  Far be it from Rufus to not take advantage of the luxurious plumbing.  He filled his mind with images of making out with all four of the men he fancied as he did his best to elude his pursuers.  He ended up going in a circle before he knew it and found himself looking through a vent down at the room he’d originally been held in.  As fortune would have it, one of the objects of his fantasies burst through the door and began attacking the kidnappers inside with uncanny precision.  The young blonde wielded a sword that looked as though it should be clumsy, but the grace of his movements belied that impression.

 

Rufus peered through the vent with a slack jaw as Cloud Strife and Vincent Valentine decimated the ranks of his captors.  He started to push on the vent cover to let them know he was there, but the hem of his pants were caught on something and he frowned with annoyance and tugged.

 

~***************************************~

* * *

 

“Wait, not him!”

 

Vincent paused as he prepared to put a bullet in the skull of the young kidnapper with the dark blond hair and the ponytail.  He looked up for the source of the order, recognizing Rufus Shinra’s voice.

 

Cloud also looked up with a puzzled frown.  “Rufus?” he asked, trying to locate the president.

 

“Yes, I’m in the air conditioning duct,” Rufus explained.

 

Cloud saw him then, peering out at them through the vent.  He coughed to cover up a laugh, imagining how horrifying it must have been for a fashion victim like Rufus to crawl through a dusty ventilation system.  “I’m not even going to ask how you got up there,” he said.  “Tseng and the others are on standby to help us get you out of here.  Come down.”

 

Rufus looked over his shoulder and moved a bit, then swore.  “I would, but I appear to be stuck.”

 

Cloud glanced at Vincent, who was keeping an eye on the cowering young man he held at gunpoint.  “Stuck on what?”

 

“I have no idea,” Rufus answered crossly.  “I can’t see it.  Just give me a bloody moment, will you?”

 

“You’re pretty bossy for a guy getting rescued,” Cloud said with a smirk.  Truth be told, he was relieved and he felt an unwelcome throb of affection for Rufus.  For once, his penchant for being a complete bastard had paid off and the thought of what he must have put his captors through before they arrived made Cloud grin.

 

Rufus struggled some more and there was an audible sound of tearing material.  “Damn,” the president griped.  “I think I’ve pulled free—”  The air duct groaned with protest and something snapped.  The section that Rufus was in dropped a bit as one of the supporting rivets broke free from the ceiling.  “Oh hell,” Rufus said.  “Cloud, get out from underneath—”

 

Cloud immediately headed the warning and dove away as the rest of the duct broke away from the ceiling and came crashing down to the floor.  He got to his feet and coughed as he inhaled some dust, waving a hand before his face to clear the air.  “Rufus?  You okay?”

 

There was a soft groan and the vent popped off of the broken duct.  Rufus crawled out of it and rolled onto his back, panting.  “Nothing’s broken,” he reported.  His gray eyes narrowed as he looked up at Cloud and noticed his outfit for the first time.  “You’re wearing my clothes.”  He smiled crookedly.  “They look good on you.”

 

Cloud snorted.  “You’re unbelievable.”  He reached down and offered his hand to Rufus.  The president took it and Cloud helped him to his feet.  The two of them stared at one another for a moment and Cloud shook his head.  “Don’t get used to it.”

 

Rufus smirked and looked at Vincent, eyeing his outfit with an appraising, approving gaze.  “I’m a bit surprised to see you here, Valentine.  You have my gratitude.”

 

Vincent kept his eyes on his captive and shrugged.  “I came as a favor to someone who’s important to me…”  He snapped his mouth shut and pursed his lips.  “A favor to a friend,” he finished softly, seemingly disturbed by his own words.

 

Rufus frowned at him, wondering if he was referring to Strife.  “I see.”

 

There was banging at the doors.  Vincent had shot the locks but it would only hold the opposition off for so long.  Cloud pulled out his cellphone and called Tseng. 

 

“Tseng, we’ve got Rufus.  We’re going to try to get him clear but we’re kind of trapped.  You might want to send your people in now.”

 

“Understood,” Tseng answered with a hint of relief in his voice.  “I’ll give the order.  Reno and Rude should arrive with air support soon.  The others will be close behind.”

 

“Got it,” Cloud said.  “Vincent and I are going to do what we can to get Rufus clear of the warehouse.”  He hung up and looked at Vincent, noticing the tension in the gunman’s marble features.

 

Vincent took several deep breaths as he felt a presence stirring.  He hadn’t felt this presence since fighting Omega and now it was waking…getting closer.  Footsteps of death approaching, sickly sweet and eager.

 

_~You’re supposed to be dormant.  Why do you wake?~_

The presence shoved against the gunman’s barriers.  _~Your frustrations woke me, my dark one.  Now I desire sustenance.~_

Vincent felt a chill throughout his body and he struggled to hold the being at bay.  _~My…frustrations?  No.  Sleep again, Chaos.  Your time has passed.~_

_~I will not rest again until I’m satisfied.  Give way!~_

“Vince?” Cloud murmured, “You okay?”  His sapphire eyes glanced down when he heard the sound of material ripping and he saw elongated black claws emerging from the glove covering Vincent’s human hand.  The gunman seemed to be slowly growing taller and larger, the material of his uniform straining until the stitches began to burst.  He had a horrible feeling that he knew what was happening.

 

Vincent tore his shades off and looked Cloud in the eye.  His crimson gaze was filled with an unholy lust and his lips parted to reveal that his canine teeth were elongating.  “Cloud, take the president and get out of here,” he said roughly.  “One of my demons is about to rear his hungry head.”

 

Cloud regarded his friend warily, hoping his guess was wrong.  “Which one?”

 

Vincent gave him a meaningful look and his eyes flashed with amber light.

 

“Right,” Cloud said, understanding.  He grabbed Rufus by the arm.  “Let’s go, Rufus.”

 

“What’s going on?” Rufus asked in puzzlement.  He’d never seen the demon in question and thus he had no appreciation for what it could do.  “You intend to leave Valentine here by himself?”

 

Cloud dragged the president toward the door leading into the garage.  “Trust me, he can handle it.  Move your ass!”  The fighter sheathed his weapon behind his back and he reached down to grab hold of Adrian’s arm too, coaxing the kidnapper to come with them.

 

Rufus didn’t argue further, having rarely heard such a note of alarm in the fighter’s voice.

 

~***********************************~

* * *

 

“About time we got some action, yo.”  Reno flew the company helicopter towards the target, eager to start putting the hurt on the people that dared to abduct Rufus. 

 

“We’ll show them what happens when they fuck with ShinRa,” Rude said with equal enthusiasm.  “Just make sure Strife and the president are clear before you start blowing things up, partner.”

 

“Yeah,” Reno agreed without offense, “don’t worry.  I ain’t gonna risk either of our boys, man.”  He pulled his mic down and flipped a switch on the control panel.  “Tseng, can you hear me?”

 

“I can,” came the response.

 

“We should reach the target in three minutes.  You sending in the backup?”

 

“Yes,” answered Tseng.  “They should arrive on site within ten minutes.  Provide cover for Strife and Valentine but don’t use explosives until you’ve confirmed that the president is clear.”

 

“You got it,” replied Reno.  He ended the transmission and took a deep breath, grinning at his partner.  “It’s been a while, yo.”

 

“Yes, it has,” Rude agreed, his lips curving into a subtle, answering smile.  “Are you up for it, Red?”

 

“Baby, I’m up for anything,” Reno laughed.  “But you should know that by now.”

 

~*********************************~

* * *

 

They piled into the limo, with Rufus and Cloud in the font and Adrian in the back.  Rufus stuck his hand through the privacy divider and motioned to his former captor.  “Give me your gun.”

 

“Wh-why?” Adrian asked in the tone of someone who was scared out of his mind.

 

“Because I’m a better shot than you,” Rufus answered matter-of-factly.  “Do you want to live through this?”

 

Adrian gave the president his gun without further argument and Rufus checked the bullet chamber before lowering the window.  He gave Cloud a nod.  “Ready when you are, Strife.”

 

“Hang onto something,” Cloud ordered as he put his hands on the wheel and looked over his shoulder.  Rufus and the kidnapper both braced themselves as Cloud gunned the engine and backed out.  The smell of burning rubber assaulted their nostrils as the fighter peeled out of the garage.  Adrian shouted in alarm as the vehicle slammed into the garage door and the scrape of metal dominated his hearing.  The door gave way and fell over the limo as Cloud backed out of the warehouse.  Gunfire immediately followed as the kidnappers fired at the car, but Rufus returned fire and took out two of them with calm precision.

 

Cloud spun the limo around, producing a cloud of dust in the process.  He quickly got his sense of direction and floored it, heading toward the gates.  Rufus shot down some of the kidnappers that were firing at them but he could only do so much on his own.  He heard the sound of helicopter blades and he looked up to see the black chopper with the ShinRa logo bearing down on the compound.

 

“Kick their asses, Reno,” the blond muttered as he ran over one of the abductors and got closer to the fence.  From somewhere behind them, he heard a familiar, demonic roar.  Cloud smiled grimly, even as he felt pity for Vincent.  Chaos was awake.

 

~*********************************~

* * *

 

Reno saw the limo speeding recklessly out of the warehouse towards the gate.  He took stock of the situation quickly and reached down to activate the chopper’s guns.  “Ready to shoot, partner?” he asked of Rude.

 

“Solid,” answered the bald man as he reached out for the targeting stick on his side. 

 

The two nodded at each other and together, they opened fire on the people pursuing the limo.  Blood sprayed as the partnered Turks aimed the automatic machine guns and shot kidnappers down to give Cloud some cover.

 

“Sending you to hell, motherfuckers!” Reno hollered as he shot a fleeing kidnapper in the back.  He would have said more but at that moment, something tore a hole in the roof of one of the warehouses and shot up out of it.  Reno and Rude both hollered with alarm as a winged, alabaster-skinned demon hovered before them with a struggling kidnapper in its arms.

 

“What the fuck?” Rude shouted.

 

The unholy, beautiful creature smiled in a chilling way and caught hold of its captive’s head, drawing the man’s mouth to its lips.  As Reno and Rude watched, a green-ish glow suffused both figures and the struggles of the captive weakened and ceased.  The winged demon released his captive and let him fall to the ground, apparently dead.  Glowing, amber eyes met Reno’s through the glass of the windshield and the Turk shivered.  The demon creature seemed to consider the two hovering Turks for a moment, as if trying to decide if they were food or allies.  Then it spiraled back down into the fray below to select another victim.

 

“Uh, I think that was Valentine,” Reno gasped with wide eyes.

 

“Let’s just concentrate on covering the limo,” Rude suggested through pale lips.  “I don’t care who the fuck it was.”

 

Reno agreed.  No wonder Vincent was so fucked up.  He saw the demon feed on several other people and it was like watching a car accident…he couldn’t look away.  “Fuck this shit, man,” the redhead gasped, turning his attention to the escaping limo.  He and Rude killed more of the kidnappers with their gunfire and he wasn’t certain whether he was doing it out of vengeance or mercy, anymore.  Once the car was safely out of range, their orders were to blow up the compound.

 

~********************************~

* * *

 

“Tseng, we’re clear,” Cloud announced over the phone.  He looked through the rearview mirror and winced as he spotted Vincent claiming another victim.  “Vincent’s still in there, though.  Hold off on the explosions until he’s out.”

 

“Can you reach him?” Tseng inquired.

 

“I don’t think so,” answered Cloud dubiously.  “He’s shifted into chaos and even if he’s still got his phone on him, I don’t think Chaos is going to be interested in answering it.”

 

“Did you see what that thing did?” Adrian babbled from the back seat.  “Chaos!  Fucking Chaos!  It sucked their souls out!”  He laughed hysterically and clawed at his head.

 

“Shall I shoot him now?” Rufus said, having come to regret his decision to spare the young man.  Reno would never have carried on this way.

 

“No, don’t shoot him!” Cloud shouted.  His blue eyes were round in his face as he looked at the president incredulously.  “What the hell’s the matter with you people?”

 

“Might I remind you that they kidnapped me?” Rufus said calmly, “and he’s become a drooling lunatic.  Look at him.”

 

Cloud couldn’t deny that the person in question had gone off the deep end, but he stood his ground.  “No fucking shooting, all right?  Enough people have died, you asshole!”

 

Rufus shrugged.  “Fine.  I’ll send him to a clinic.  Satisfied?”

 

Cloud was about to answer that when something heavy and large landed on the top of the limo, nearly making him lose control of the vehicle.  “Shit,” he growled as he fought to bring the fishtailing car under control.  A pale, inhuman face dropped down over the windshield from above and he recognized Chaos.

 

“What on Gaia…” Rufus muttered.

 

“He’s hitching a ride,” answered Cloud.  He looked into the sated glowing eyes and he wondered—not for the first time—how Vincent managed to retain sanity with such a creature lurking inside of him.

 

~***********************************~

* * *

 

They arrived at Headquarters and Adrian was taken away to be incarcerated.  Chaos climbed down from his perch on the limo and stood to regard Cloud with curiosity that made him nervous.

 

“Uh, thanks,” the blonde said softly as Rufus was ushered away by the Turks.  “You helped out a lot.”

 

The demon cocked his head to one side and continued to stare at him.  Chaos was twice the size of an average man and the remains of Vincent’s chauffeur uniform weren’t doing much to cover him up.

 

Reeve arrived with Tseng and the engineer immediately jumped out of the car and hurried toward Chaos.  The demon sensed him coming and turned his head to regard him with contemplative, glowing amber eyes.

 

“The host…likes this one,” Chaos announced in a soft, otherworldly voice.

 

Reeve stopped short and looked up at the demon with wary courtesy.  His brown eyes were unafraid and calm as he cleared his throat.  “It’s okay,” he said in a soothing tone.  Cloud ogled as he reached out and took hold of Chaos’s clawed hand.  “Why don’t you cone with me?  You can rest and I’ll have some food send up.”

 

“I don’t eat mortal food,” Chaos reminded the engineer, his glowing gaze dropping to the hand that held his. 

 

“For Vincent,” Reeve corrected diplomatically.  His features were tense and yet calm beneath his immaculately groomed facial hair.  “You may not require it, but I’m sure you know he does.”

 

Chaos hesitated and looked around at the tense Turks surrounding him.  “My hunger is satisfied,” he said in his low, preternatural voice.  “I can’t…that is…” He seemed to struggle suddenly, bringing a clawed hand to his forehead and grimacing.

 

“Come with me,” reiterated Reeve.  “You can rest in my quarters.”

 

To everyone’s surprise but Cloud’s, the demon nodded slowly and allowed himself to be guided away towards the elevator by Reeve.  Reno and Rude arrived in the parking complex just in time to see the sight, and the redhead looked from the retreating engineer and his demonic companion to Cloud.

 

“I don’t know if I should even ask,” Reno muttered.

 

Cloud smiled.  “With any luck, you don’t need to.”

 

~************************************************~

* * *

 

-To be continued

 

 

 

 


	15. Chapter 15

“Guardian”

Chapter 15

~*******************************************~

* * *

*Disclaimer:  The world that this story is set in and all characters therein belong to Square-Enix.  This fiction piece is strictly a non-profit exercise of creativity and entertainment for people (like me) who can’t get enough of this world and the characters.* 

~***********************************************~

* * *

 

“The host…likes this one.”

 

Reeve contemplated Chaos’s soft declaration as he led him into his personal quarters and gestured to the bed.  Vincent liked him?  But he knew that already.  The way Chaos had said it, though…the meaning behind it and the softening of the demon’s features…was there more to it than simple affection?  Doubtlessly, the Turks thought he was mad to invite this creature to his room.  Doubtlessly, they were right.  Only an insane person would invite a soul-sucking demon to their bedroom.  Still, there he stood, calmly offering his bed to Chaos.

 

“You should rest,” Reeve said as the demon looked at the bed. 

 

Chaos met the engineer’s eyes and ran the tip of his tongue over his pale lips.  “I don’t require rest,” he murmured.

 

“But your host does,” argued Reeve bravely.  “Vincent isn’t invincible after all, and by the sound of it you gorged heartily.”

 

Chaos stared at him for a moment longer, measuring him.  When Reeve didn’t look away, he smiled slowly.  “You’re brave, but I don’t know if you’re clever,” the demon said.  “Most mortals would not have the nerve to give me orders.”

 

“I’m not giving you orders,” Reeve countered in a calm voice.  His heart was thundering in his chest but he stood his ground.  “I’m simply speaking the truth and offering the things that I know Vincent will need.  What good can come of burning up your link to this world, Chaos?”

 

The demon contemplated him for a moment longer.  He shrugged gracefully and approached the bed.  “You make an interesting point, engineer.”  He sat down on the bed and stretched out, his pale flesh barely concealed in the ragged remains of the costume Vincent had worn. 

 

Reeve’s tension faded and he picked up the phone to order some food.  There was a knock on his door before he could finish dialing and he hung the phone up to open it.  Monkeyshines stood at the threshold, looking up at him accusingly.

 

“Ah, sorry little friend.  I forgot about you.”  Reeve picked the mechanical creature up and it curled its fingers into his hair and pressed its nose against his.  “Forgive me?”

 

“What is that…thing?” Chaos inquired with a curious tilt to his head.

 

“He’s my companion,” Reeve explained, “Thanks to you, I didn’t need to send him in but he has his uses.”

 

“I thought you had a cat,” Chaos murmured.

 

“I left him at home,” Reeve said.  “I couldn’t take the chance that he’d be recognized.  Odd as it sounds, Cait Sith is something of a celebrity, these days.”

 

Chaos made a sound that could have been a chuckle.  “Only you could make a mechanical animal famous, Reeve.”  He frowned a moment after saying it, uncomfortable with the all-too-mortal feelings of affection he was having for the handsome engineer.  Vincent…it was his fault.  The host’s emotions bled through the barrier and afflicted him with feelings he shouldn’t have.  He wondered if Reeve even knew how Vincent felt…or if the two of them had ever explored those feelings and mated.

 

Reeve noticed the demon’s discomfort and he wisely kept quiet.  He placed Monkeyshines on the floor and pressed the activation button on his pendant, powering the animal down.  With that done, he picked up the phone again and dialed room service.  ShinRa inc. was probably the only company in the world that not only had private suites in the building for employees, but twenty-four hour food and drink service.

 

“Sometimes I think we’re spoiled,” Reeve said after he ordered a rare steak dinner for Vincent and hung up the phone.  He turned back to the bed and found that Chaos had closed his eyes.  It seemed the demon was sleepy from his earlier gorging, which meant Vincent could be returning at any moment.  Reeve slowly approached the bed and sat down on the edge of it warily, studying the ethereal features of the demon.  It was strange how Chaos resembled Vincent in the face.  It was almost like looking at a heroic sized Vincent, with jagged spikes on his head instead of hair.  Without realizing he was doing it, Reeve reached out and traced the demon’s sculpted features with his fingertips.

 

Chaos felt the touch and his eyes snapped open to regard Reeve with annoyed curiosity.  “What do you think you’re doing?”

 

Reeve hastily pulled his hand away.  “I…I thought you looked a bit feverish.  I was only checking.”  He groaned inwardly at his flimsy excuse.

 

By the look on his face, Chaos didn’t quite believe him.  The demon shrugged gracefully and opened his fanged mouth in a yawn.  “Your strange antics aren’t my concern.  I shall sleep again.  Farewell, Reeve Tuesti.”  He closed his eyes again and just like that, he left.  His form shrank back to mortal size, his spikes softened and became flowing black hair and his claws retreated back into his fingertips.  Now there was only a beautiful young man lying in the tattered remains of a chauffeur uniform.

 

Vincent opened his ruby eyes and looked up at Reeve, his expression only a little confused.  The events that occurred after he changed into Chaos were like a fuzzy dream to him, so while he didn’t suffer a complete memory block, he wasn’t certain how much of what he remembered was real.  “Was anyone harmed?” Vincent asked softly.

 

“Only the bad guys,” Reeve answered with a relieved smile.  “Everything turned out okay, don’t worry.  Rufus is back and probably getting pampered as we speak.  I’ve ordered a steak for you and it should be here any minute.”

 

Vincent looked down at himself and grimaced.  Thankfully the remains of his outfit at least covered his groin from view but that was about it.  “I was really hoping this wouldn’t occur,” the gunman muttered with a sigh.

 

Reeve chuckled, trying not to stare at the creamy flesh that was exposed to view.  He helped his friend sit up and he pulled the covers back for him to slide under.  “There, that should do until you’re feeling recovered enough to get back into your regular clothes.”

 

“Thank you,” Vincent murmured.  A pink bloom was spreading over his cheekbones and Reeve stared in fascination.  There was a knock on the door and the engineer shook himself out of it and got up to answer it.  He returned a moment later, wheeling in a bed tray with a covered plate and a glass of tea on it.

 

“I hope this is all right,” the WRO director said as he pushed the tray to the bed and positioned it for his friend.  “I seem to recall that red meat helps you the most.  I had them cook it rare.”

 

Vincent was embarrassed.  Reeve was always so considerate towards him and he thought Rufus wasn’t the only one in the building getting pampered tonight.  “Thank you, Reeve,” the gunman said sincerely.  He couldn’t control his blush and he averted his eyes as the other man took the lid off of the plate and unrolled the silverware from the napkin.

 

“Don’t look so uncomfortable,” Reeve smiled, guessing that Vincent’s blush wasn’t because of his tattered clothes, this time.  “You’ve saved my ass so many times I’ve lost count.  I don’t think my treating you to a steak dinner once in a while is going to tip the scales.”

 

Vincent shrugged and began to cut his steak.  “I suppose not.”  The meat was cooked just right and blood pooled beneath it as he cubed it into bite-sized pieces.  “Aren’t you going to eat anything?”

 

“I will after I settle down,” Reeve answered.  “I never eat after an adventure anymore.  My stomach doesn’t like it.”

 

Vincent smiled faintly and glanced at him as he speared a bite on his fork and brought it to his lips.  He studied the engineer silently as he chewed and swallowed, admiring Reeve’s good looks without even realizing he was doing it.  Truthfully, Vincent had never thought about relations with another man.  He’d never even thought about relations with a woman, after Lucrecia.  Romance was simply a thing that didn’t cross his mind because he couldn’t imagine anyone wanting someone like him.  In his naiveté, he thought he was just admiring a handsome man as one admires a painting—he was so out of touch with his own needs.

 

 “I’ll let you eat,” Reeve said as he turned to walk toward the door.  “I’ve just got to drop off some paperwork downstairs and I’ll be back.”  It was a flat-out lie, but he needed a moment away from Vincent to gather his thoughts.  Watching the gunman’s white teeth bite into the meat and his throat working as he swallowed was far too fascinating to Reeve.  He opened the door to exit the suit, only to find himself face-to-face with Cloud Strife.  The blonde had one hand raised and curled into a fist, poised to knock on the door. 

 

“Good timing,” Cloud said as he lowered his hand and took a step back.  “I was just dropping by to see how Vincent’s doing.”

 

Reeve closed the door behind him and leaned against it.  “He’s back and he’s eating right now,” he answered.  “I had a steak brought up so he can get some protein in his system.”

 

Cloud’s blue eyes were uncommonly sly as they held his.  “Uh-huh.  You going to give him a bath too?”

 

Reeve’s brows drew together in a frown.  “Why would I…what exactly are you implying, Cloud?”

 

The young fighter rolled his eyes and shook his head.  “God, you two are even worse than Reno and I were.”

 

Reeve flushed, catching on to where this conversation was going.  Still, he played dumb and gave his friend a blank look.

 

Cloud laughed.  “For Shiva’s sake, just go for it!”

 

Reeve cast a quick look around to be sure there was nobody else in the hallway to hear the blonde’s exclamation.  “Look, I hardly think I’m his type,” he hissed.

 

“Would you have thought Reno was my type?” countered the blonde, his pale brows raised.

 

“Well, no,” Reeve admitted with a frown, “but Reno’s a lot easier to read than Vincent.  I have no way of telling if he’d be open to the idea of being with another man or not.”

 

“You’re afraid of getting shot down,” Cloud guessed.  He sighed and glanced at the door behind his friend.  “Look, you’ll never know if you don’t make a move and from where I’m standing, it looks like you’ve got a shot.  If I’m wrong you can kick my ass later but I don’t think I am.”

 

Reeve’s pulse quickened and he lowered his eyes.  Cloud thought he had a chance?  What did he see that Reeve had missed?  “Are you sure about this?” he asked, no longer denying how much he wanted Vincent.

 

Cloud nodded and crossed his arms over his chest.  His sapphire eyes were earnest as he regarded the engineer.  “The way you two’s eyes latched onto each other as soon as he showed up, I’m pretty damned sure.  Maybe you fooled yourself into thinking differently, but I saw him looking at you the way a dehydrated person looks at a tall glass of water.  Sometimes it takes outside observations, I guess.  I’m not the only one that’s noticed it, either.”

 

Reeve absorbed this and he swallowed.  He began to visualize it happening and suddenly he knew beyond a doubt that tonight was going to be the night he’d find out if his feelings were shared.  “Shit, I’m nervous,” he whispered as his palms began to sweat.  “I thought I was too old to get wound up like this.”

 

Cloud grinned and patted him on the arm.  “You’ll be fine.  Just be yourself…that’s what Vincent likes about you anyhow.”

 

Reeve nodded jerkily and took a deep breath.  “Wish me luck, kid.”

 

Cloud shrugged.  “I don’t think you need it, but what the hell…good luck.”

 

~***********************************~

* * *

 

Vincent had already finished his steak and the side vegetables when Reeve came back into the room.  The gunman had moved the tray to stand against the wall and he was reclining in the bed with heavy-lidded, sleepy eyes.  He seemed to perk up a little when he saw his friend approaching and he gave Reeve one of his rare, quiet smiles.

 

“How was it?” Reeve asked as he approached the bed.

 

“It was very good, thank you.  I feel much better now.”

 

Reeve nodded and swallowed.  “May I?” he asked as he began to sit down on the bed beside his friend.  Vincent nodded and scooted over.  Reeve took his loafers off and sank onto the bed, facing the gunman.  He opened his mouth and struggled to find the words to tell him how he felt.

 

“Something’s troubling you,” Vincent murmured, his crimson eyes studying the engineer with concern.  “What is it?”

 

“I don’t want you going back in that coffin,” Reeve blurted.  He blinked.  Well, that was a start and he really didn’t want his friend hibernating again.  “You told me once that you’re control over your demons is always weakest after you’ve slept for a long time.  There’s no need for it anymore, Vincent.”

 

Vincent stared at him in surprise.  “Where would you suggest I go?  Sleeping is…a sanctuary for me, Reeve.  You know this.”

 

“You don’t need to sleep,” Reeve argued.  “You need company.  You need companionship.”  He took a deep breath and slowly reached out, daring to touch the gunman’s beautiful, marbled features.  “Come and stay with me.  Just try it for a while and if you don’t like it, I’ll let you hole up in your moldy mansion again without complaint.”

 

Vincent’s eyes closed of their own accord in response to the feel of Reeve’s calloused fingers caressing his face.  “You want me to come and live with you?”

 

“That’s right,” Reeve said softly.  Vincent’s eyes opened again and stared into his.  He held the ruby gaze and moistened his lips with his tongue.  “Vincent, I…that is, you’ve…oh hell, I’ll just have to show you.”

 

Vincent’s eyes widened as Reeve closed the distance between their faces.  He sat frozen; his brain refusing to process what was happening as the other man’s lips met his.  Reeve’s fingers slid into Vincent’s hair and his mouth moved against his tenderly, the lips coaxing and warm and soft.  His facial hair tickled Vincent’s skin and his breath was a caress against his face.  Vincent closed his eyes and parted his lips, returning the kiss with hesitant, inexperienced desire.

 

When he felt his companion respond, Reeve choked back a groan and deepened the kiss.  Vincent’s kiss felt uncertain but there was real feeling in it and for all his seeming inexperience, it was the best kiss Reeve had ever had.  The engineer gently brushed his tongue over the pale lips that he worshipped, stroking between them and asking for access.  They parted for him and he explored the warm, moist recesses of Vincent’s mouth.  The gunman’s tongue met his and returned the caress and Reeve was shocked to near stillness when he heard Vincent moan softly into his mouth.

 

The desire to pull off what was left of Vincent’s clothes and explore his pale body was powerful, but Reeve didn’t want to move too quickly and spook him.  Vincent was such a private person, unused to human contact…especially of this sort.  Reeve knew it was wiser to test the waters and take it one step at a time than to just jump him and go to town.  He dragged his hand out of Vincent’s silken, black hair and stroked his back, pulling him more tightly against him.  He felt scars on the skin and he traced them gently, wishing he could erase them.  He felt Vincent’s golden claw slide over his shoulder and he winced as the tips suddenly dug in.

 

Vincent immediately broke the kiss and released the engineer’s shoulder.  “I’m sorry,” he whispered, averting his eyes.  “I didn’t mean to do that.” 

 

Reeve cupped the gunman’s chin with his free hand and shook his head, leaning in to resume kissing him.  Vincent’s eyes closed again and he sighed against his mouth, responding to the kiss much faster than before.  His human hand cupped the back of Reeve’s head, the fingers sliding through his brown hair and massaging his scalp.  Reeve’s desire flared and he eased the other man onto his back and slowly pulled the covers down.  Vincent tensed a little but didn’t try to stop him as he traced the lines of his chest muscles with his fingers.  Reeve slipped his mouth away from Vincent’s and moved on to kiss the hollow of his throat as he carefully explored his body with his hands. 

 

“I want you,” Reeve murmured unnecessarily against the silken skin that he kissed.  He traced the slashing scars over the gunman’s torso and rubbed one of his nipples to hardness, drawing a shiver and a gasp from him.  He pushed a thigh between Vincent’s legs and he felt the evidence that the other man wanted him too.  He rubbed against the bulge he found, touching without touching.  Vincent’s human hand clutched at his back and the gunman’s hips lifted to grind his erection against Reeve’s thigh.

 

“Reeve, I…I,” Vincent struggled for words as the other man’s touch and kisses made him dizzy.  The pressure in his swelling groin was both frustrating and delicious, and poor Vincent hadn’t been with anyone for so long that he didn’t know how to react to it.  Reeve’s mouth covered his again and his tongue thrust between his lips with more aggression than before.  Vincent moaned softly and let it dominate his mouth as he held Reeve tighter and instinctively rubbed against him.

 

“We’ll only go as far as you want,” Reeve panted against Vincent’s lips.  He pressed another open-mouthed kiss on them and fondled his other nipple to hardness.  He broke the kiss again to look into the other man’s dazed, ruby eyes.  “Vincent, I don’t want to push you.  Tell me if I do anything that makes you uncomfortable.”

 

Honestly, Reeve’s skills hadn’t allowed him time to feel nervous or uncomfortable…only confused and hungry for something he could barely understand.  He slid his hand back up to cup the back of the engineer’s head and draw his mouth back down to his.  Reeve obliged eagerly, giving Vincent another one of those deep, drugging kisses.  The gunman felt his companion’s hand sliding down to his belly and he trembled as the fingers worked at the button of what remained of his pants.  It popped open and Vincent felt the zipper getting tugged down next.

 

He briefly thought of stopping Reeve then, but the engineer’s hand burrowed into the opening and curled around his throbbing length.  Vincent’s breath left his lips in a rush and he stared up at Reeve with bewildered pleasure as the man’s strong, work-roughened hand began to stroke him. 

 

“Is this okay?” Reeve whispered, studying his companion’s expression as he gently massaged his cock.

 

Vincent nodded and drew a shaken breath, his eyes losing focus.  Reeve kissed him tenderly, clamping down on his lust so that he wouldn’t move too fast.  The gunman said his name in an unsteady gasp and Reeve murmured encouragement to him.  Vincent’s claw grasped the material of the front of Reeve’s shirt and tugged.  There was a ripping sound as the garment was pulled open and buttons flew off.  Vincent flushed and looked at Reeve apologetically, but the director only smiled at him and kissed him again.

 

Emboldened by the other man’s encouragement, Vincent finished pulling Reeve’s shirt open and he reached in with his human hand to caress his exposed chest.  It was toned and dusted with dark hair, which Vincent found very appealing.  He ran his hand over the pectorals and copied Reeve’s earlier action, fondling the nipples until they pebbled under his fingertips.  Reeve murmured his name huskily and stroked his cock more firmly, making Vincent shiver and gasp.

 

He wanted more.  He wondered if this burning hunger he felt was anything like what Chaos experienced when he needed to feed.  Vincent’s lips feverishly sought out Reeve’s and he slid his hand lower, stroking the taut abdomen and tracing the trail of hair beneath the navel.  He undid Reeve’s pants and looked up at him with desire and uncertainty.  Reeve kissed him again and paused in his stroking to guide his hand.  With his guidance, Vincent eased the director’s rigid sex out of his pants and squeezed it gently, moving his hand up and down the warm, silken length with fascination.  He flushed and licked his lips.  He never would have dreamt of touching another man this way and he was surprised at how wonderful it felt.

 

Reeve groaned softly in pleasure and resumed his stroking of Vincent’s poised cock.  He kissed him again and their tongues fenced and caressed as they pleasured one another.  Too much more of this and he feared he would lose his control and come in Vincent’s hand, but considering that he didn’t know yet how the gunman would react to anal penetration, that might not be such a bad thing.  He decided it was time to move on and explore his companion’s reactions further, but before he did that, he needed to get some protection—which he of course didn’t have since the last thing he’d expected to be doing tonight was this.

 

“Oh, damn.”  Reeve dropped his sweating forehead to Vincent’s chest and groaned softly.

 

“Is something the matter?” Vincent asked breathlessly, mistaking the groan as a sign that he wasn’t touching him right.

 

“I need to make a quick run downstairs to the general store,” Reeve explained regretfully, pulling back to gaze into Vincent’s passion-fogged eyes.  “Just to be on the safe side.”  He knew he was clean and he couldn’t imagine Vincent having any diseases, considering how virginal he was acting.  Still, they’d at least need some lubricant if things progressed much further.

 

“You want to go and get something _now_?” There was a definite note of frustration in Vincent’s voice and it was so unusual that it made Reeve smile.

 

“I’m sorry, but if we’re going to keep doing this it’s rather important.  Don’t go anywhere, I’ll be right back.”  He kissed him deeply again before levering his body off of him and tucking his aching cock back into his pants.  While Vincent watched with a confused expression, Reeve went to his suitcase and selected another shirt to put on.  He didn’t mind that the one he was wearing was ruined but he didn’t want to go down wearing it, either.  It would be rather obvious to anyone he ran into what the two of them were up to if he went down there in a ripped-open shirt.

 

“I don’t understand,” Vincent said plainly as Reeve buttoned up his fresh shirt and gave him an apologetic look. 

 

“You will,” Reeve promised.  “Just relax and wait for me, okay?”

 

Vincent glanced down at his exposed, flushed cock and his face heated.  “I seem to have little choice.”

 

Reeve smiled and hurried out the door.  He jogged down the hallway to the elevator and selected one of the lower floors, tapping his foot impatiently.  It then occurred to him that he’d neglected to put on shoes.  There he was, dressed like a proper gentleman with only socks on his feet. 

 

“Screw it,” he shrugged.  There weren’t going to be many people up and about the building in the evening, anyhow.  Most of the employees had already gone home or were working late in their offices.  He was out the elevator doors as soon as they opened and he damn near fell on his ass as his socked feet slipped on the polished floor of the lobby.  Flushing with embarrassment as a security guard gave him a curious look, the WRO director briskly walked to the glass doors leading into the company general store.  There were a couple of other people inside browsing the isles, but he avoided them and went straight for the personal hygiene racks.  He quickly selected a box of condoms and a tube of water based lubricant, then took the items to the checkout desk.

 

The cashier didn’t seem to notice that he was shoe-less and Reeve thought he might get through this without any serious embarrassment. 

 

“Getting lucky tonight, are ya?”

 

Reeve squeezed his eyes shut and groaned softly as he turned to face Reno, who had snuck up behind him at the checkout line and was grinning slyly.  “I like to keep them in supply,” he said in what he hoped was a casual tone.

 

Reno looked down at the black socks on the executive’s feet and his grin became wider.  “Ain’t you the responsible one?  It’s funny, I never thought just ‘keeping them in supply’ was such serious business.  Ya seem to be in an awful hurry for someone that’s just refilling his stock, man.”

 

“Is there something you want?” Reeve grumbled, giving up on his attempts to deny what was going on.

 

“Same thing as you, I imagine,” Reno said with a wink.  He held up the condoms and lube he’d selected and waited for the cashier to finish bagging Reeve’s items.  “Just tell me one thing—” 

 

“It’s not Chaos,” Reeve said immediately, guessing by the look on the redhead’s face what he was going to ask.  “Vincent’s back to normal now.”

 

Reno chuckled.  “Oh, good.  ‘Cause I was gonna say, you could put yourself in the hospital with that shit, yo.”

 

Reeve sighed and shook his head, reaching for his wallet to pay for his goods.  He frowned and patted his pockets.  It wasn’t in there.  It must have slipped out of his pants while he and Vincent were…exploring each other.  Reno noticed the disconcerted expression on his face and he guessed what the problem was by the frantic way the engineer was searching his pockets.

 

“Don’t worry about it man, I’ve gotcha covered.”  Reno pulled out his newly activated credit card and handed it over to the cashier.  “Put it all together.”

 

“Thanks,” Reeve murmured.

 

“No problem.  I’d hate to think of what Vinnie could do if he got too frustrated, yo.”  Reno chuckled at Reeve’s expense as the older man’s face flooded with color again. 

 

~************************************~

* * *

 

When Reeve returned to his suit, Vincent was under the covers again and leafing through the tech magazine Reeve had left on the nightstand.  He looked up at the engineer and his pale features wore a mixture of relief and anxiety.  He put the magazine aside and scooted over to give his friend room as Reeve approached the bed.  He regarded the brown paper sack in the other man’s hand warily, his ruby eyes curious.

 

“So what was so important that you couldn’t wait to get it?” Vincent asked softly.

 

Reeve opened the bag and took out the condoms and lube, setting them on the nightstand closest to him.  “Protection,” he explained.  His brown eyes were warm and admiring on the raven-haired gunman as he stretched out beside him on the bed.

 

“We’re…going to use those?” Vincent inquired with a frowning look at the items.  He knew what they were, of course.  He just hadn’t been thinking of them because it didn’t occur to him until now that they might have intercourse.

 

“Only if we need to,” Reeve assured him gently.  “Vincent, I meant what I said before.  We’re only going as far as you want to.  I’m patient and I can wait if I have to.  Hell, I’ve waited this long to finally kiss you.  I only wanted to be prepared—”

 

His sentence was abruptly cut off as Vincent slid his human hand into his hair and kissed him hard.  Reeve was delightfully surprised and he groaned into the other man’s mouth and kissed him back, his arms going around him to hold him close.  Vincent’s shyness seemed to have been a temporary thing…perhaps only lasting as long as it took for him to adjust to the experience.  Reeve knew it wasn’t completely gone when he reached around to the front and skimmed his hand down to the gunman’s navel.  Vincent’s stomach tensed instinctively and he trembled as Reeve’s questing fingers stroked the patch of black hair between his thighs.  Reeve slowed down, gripping Vincent’s cock gently and stroking it with tender care. 

 

The tension faded a bit from Vincent’s body and his breath quickened.  His thighs parted and he began to work on getting Reeve undressed again, taking more care this time not to use his claw and destroy another of his shirts.  Reeve helped him, using his free hand to work the buttons on his shirt while Vincent pulled it open.  The gunman’s mouth left his and began to kiss his neck experimentally.  Reeve sighed with pleasure as Vincent’s silken lips caressed his throat.  He arched his neck and closed his eyes, letting the feel of the other man’s mouth and touch consume him.

 

They alternated between kissing and necking, their hands eagerly stroking, massaging and fondling.  By the time Reeve’s pants were tugged down over his hips he thought he was going to explode with need.  He wriggled out of the garment and tugged his socks off, dropping them on the floor carelessly.  Vincent yanked his underwear down before he could catch his balance and the engineer almost fell on his face.  Reeve chuckled as he righted himself and he stretched out on top of Vincent, allowing the other man to finish pulling his boxers down.

 

“You don’t waste time when you’ve made up your mind about something,” Reeve murmured between kisses.  He rubbed the tender slit at the tip of Vincent’s cock and the gunman shuddered and gasped.  A slick drop of precum emerged and Reeve smeared it over the glans, looking down at his companion’s flushed face as he did so.  Vincent’s teeth worried his lower lip and he moaned faintly.

 

“Do you have any idea how beautiful you are?” Reeve whispered.

 

Vincent’s eyes opened to regard him, his expression doubtful.  Reeve kissed his parted lips again and murmured, “You are.  I know you don’t think so, but it’s true.”  Unable to resist temptation, Reeve kissed his way down the other man’s body, licking and sucking at his neck, chest and stomach until his mouth was brushing against the skin beneath his navel.  He felt Vincent growing tense again and he stroked his outer thighs slowly, urging him wordlessly to relax.

 

Vincent did his best to stay calm as he felt Reeve’s breath stir his pubic hair.  He knew instinctively what the other man’s intentions were and he was mortified when his cock twitched eagerly.  When he felt Reeve’s lips slide over the head of the organ he grabbed fistfuls of sheet, not caring that his claw shredded them.  He bit his lip and closed his eyes, panting softly as his swollen length was drawn into the slick heat of Reeve’s mouth.  The other man’s tongue stroked against the rigid flesh as he sucked and Vincent tossed his head and tried to contain the moans that were trying to surface in his throat.  He found it to be an impossible task as Reeve began to take him in and out of his mouth rhythmically. 

 

“R-Reeve,” Vincent groaned raggedly, his voice sounding savage with pleasure to his own ears.  His companion didn’t pause in his ministrations; instead he stroked Vincent’s trembling thighs encouragingly, trying to keep him calm.  Vincent couldn’t remember ever feeling anything so wonderful before and his vision blurred from the ecstasy of it.  He broke into a sweat and began to move his hips helplessly.  Reeve’s tongue flicked firmly against his urethra and the gunman cried out and arched his back.  The jolt of sensation was so abrupt and unexpected that he couldn’t stop his sharp cry from escaping.  He was so consumed with the pleasure that he didn’t even notice Reeve’s hands leaving his thighs and reaching for the nearby lubricant.

 

When Vincent felt a slick finger probe gently at his ring, he went still and looked down at his companion.  The motions of Reeve’s sucking mouth distracted him again and his head fell back weakly against the pillows.  Suddenly he was breached, but Reeve did it so smoothly that there was barely any discomfort.  It felt odd but not painful as the engineer’s finger slowly pushed into Vincent’s virgin entrance.  It withdrew to the tip and then slid inside again, curling slightly. 

 

Vincent experienced another surprising shock when the seeking digit found and rubbed his prostate.  His eyes popped open wide and he tried to sit up, his hips snapping upward as if snagged with invisible puppet strings.  “Unnh!  REEVE,” Vincent blurted in alarm.  It happened again and he shredded more of the bedding.  His eyes rolled and he panted hard and fast as the other man massaged the spot and continued sucking him off.  A second finger joined the first inside of him and they worked together to stimulate the gland.  His body began to shake and he realized what was about to happen as his balls began to draw up closer to his body.

 

“Y-you’re going to…it’s about to…” Vincent gasped in warning, trying to find the words to explain what was happening.  Reeve either didn’t care or didn’t understand the warning.  He kept going and if anything, he sucked harder.  Vincent clenched his jaw and shut his eyes as he climaxed.  He felt Reeve swallowing as his seed spurted down the engineer’s throat and he laid back and moaned. 

 

When it was finished, Reeve released his sated cock from his mouth and got into a kneeling position between Vincent’s pale, parted thighs.  He reached out for the condoms and got one out of the box, admiring his gasping companion’s naked, sweating form as he rolled one onto his erection.  He had to give Vincent the chance to back out if he wanted to, as painful as the thought was.

 

“Do you want me to stop?” Reeve murmured, pausing in his action of flipping open the lid on the tube of lubricant.

 

Vincent gazed up at him through a tangle of black hair that had fallen over his face like silken webbing.  He brushed the strands aside and shook his head, licking his lips and swallowing.  “Don’t stop.”

 

~I want to give to you willingly what my demons take by force.  My body is yours tonight, Reeve.~

 

He didn’t say it out loud but Reeve heard it, all the same.  It was in his ruby eyes as he stared up at him with trust that no other living being on Gaia had earned.  Reeve held his eyes as he lubed himself up, understanding the gift he was about to get.  When Vincent was more comfortable with intimacy, perhaps he could return the favor.  He used a generous amount of lube, figuring too much was better than too little.  Once he was ready, he smeared yet more lube over Vincent’s entrance, murmuring softly to him as he did so. 

 

Vincent allowed Reeve to lift his legs and prop them on his shoulders.  He relaxed as much as his eager nervousness would allow as the other man bowed over him and kissed him.  He felt the head of Reeve’s cock pressing against his ring and he exhaled slowly and kept his claw hand gripping the sheets, so that he wouldn’t accidentally grab his companion with it and cut his flesh.  Reeve pressed forward and Vincent grunted softly as he began to penetrate him.  The engineer paused for a moment and pressed several kisses against Vincent’s mouth, face and neck.

 

“The discomfort won’t last long,” Reeve promised huskily as he tenderly invaded again.  Vincent tensed and his human hand gripped the other man’s shoulder.  Reeve kept driving himself deeper, hating to cause any pain but knowing that once he was completely in, it would go easier.  Vincent panted against his mouth but he made no complaints.  When he was in to the hilt, Reeve felt the gunman begin to relax.  He held still for a couple of moments and kissed him sensually, letting his body adjust to the breach. 

 

“How is it now?” Reeve asked, pulling away to look at Vincent’s expression.  He smiled.  The gunman was staring up at him with a look of faint wonder on his sculpted features.  “I trust it feels better?”

 

Vincent nodded hesitantly and ran his fingers through the other man’s thick, chestnut hair.  Reeve withdrew and thrust gently again, provoking a gasp and a moan from Vincent.  He repeated the motion and whispered the gunman’s name in a shaking voice, closing his eyes as he inhaled the scent of his companion and reveled in the feel of his body gripping him so tightly.  He started to rock against Vincent…slowly at first to give him the opportunity to get used to it.  The gunman’s breath caught with each thrust and when he moaned his name, Reeve began to put more force behind his motions.

 

Vincent felt his groin stirring again as Reeve made love to him.  The engineer’s thrusting cock pressed against that spot inside of him each time he drove it in, making sparks of sensation burst inside.  Vincent looked up at his tense, passionate features and marveled at what was happening.  It had been ages since he’d last been with anyone and he couldn’t recall ever feeling so…connected to his partner before.  He didn’t know if it was different because it was a man now or if it was simply due to the bond he shared with Reeve.  He didn’t realize how strong that bond was, until this moment.  He hissed as the other man’s hips bucked sharply, driving the rigid organ deep and hard.  Vincent’s cock steadily swelled and bounced against his stomach as Reeve took him.

 

“God, you feel so good,” Reeve groaned, his lips seeking Vincent’s throat.  The gunman arched his neck to give him access and he nibbled the skin, panting against it heavily.  Vincent’s lean torso was heaving with his panting breath, the pink nipples erect and inviting.  Reeve dragged his mouth down and sucked one of the taut buds between his lips, flicking his tongue over it.  Vincent’s body arched against him and his human hand grabbed him on the ass, squeezing the left cheek desperately.

 

“Fuck, I’m going to come again,” Vincent growled roughly.

 

Reeve almost stopped with surprise at the burst of vulgar language.  His ego swelled because he knew that Vincent only resorted to such strong language in very intense situations.  The expression on the raven-haired man’s face bordered on pain, hinting that it was going to be a hell of an orgasm.  Reeve kept his rhythm steady, knowing that if he changed it now he might ruin the moment.  Vincent began to moan steadily and his pelvis undulated beneath Reeve’s as he came closer and closer to his climax.  Reeve kissed him hard and muffled his moans as he smoothly held his rhythm.  Vincent’s hand squeezed his ass almost painfully as the gunman found his release.  Reeve smiled against his companion’s gasping mouth as he felt the warm spurt of his cum against his stomach.  Vincent shuddered in his arms and pressed his lips against his throat, groaning his name.

 

Once Vincent’s orgasm finished, Reeve let himself go.  He curled his fingers into the other man’s sweat-dampened hair and began to buck into him hard and fast.  Vincent clenched his teeth and panted, his ruby eyes glossy with pleasure.  Reeve knew he couldn’t last much longer and he moaned a curse and buried his face in Vincent’s hair.  He pumped his hips forcefully, driving his aching flesh deep with each thrust.  It finally got to be too much for him and Reeve cried out in a ragged voice and gave one last, hard shove.  He stared down at Vincent as he came inside of him.

 

“I’m so damned in love with you,” Reeve gasped.  He bucked inside of the gunman for nearly a minute, his features tense with rapture.  Vincent stared back at him, surprised by the revelation and even more surprised to realize he felt the same way.  When Reeve was spent, he collapsed on top of Vincent and laid his head on his heaving chest.  Vincent’s claw hand gently stroked his hair, the sharp points making his scalp tingle pleasantly.  The gunman’s human hand was rubbing his back in slow circles.  Reeve felt the silken lips nuzzle his forehead and he smiled, closing his eyes. 

 

“I’m really not normally the guy that does his business and goes right to sleep,” Reeve insisted after he yawned. 

 

“You’ve had a very busy day,” Vincent excused softly.  “and our encounter was…intense.”

 

“The most intense I’ve ever had,” Reeve agreed with a sigh.  He kissed Vincent’s smooth chest and ran his hands over his ribs.  “I should at least get cleaned up.”  His softening member was still sheathed inside of the other man and as great as it felt, he imagined Vincent might grow tired of it.

 

“Just rest,” Vincent murmured.  “We can bathe in the morning.” 

 

His stroking hands felt good and Reeve’s eyes drifted shut before he knew it.  The WRO director fell into an easy, deep sleep on top of his new lover, who continued to stroke him contentedly until he too fell asleep.

 

~***********************************************~

* * *

 

-To be continued


	16. Chapter 16

“Guardian”

Chapter 16

~*******************************************~

* * *

*Disclaimer:  Final Fantasy and all characters therein belong to Square-Enix.  This fiction piece is strictly a non-profit exercise of creativity and entertainment for people (like me) who can’t get enough of this world and the characters.* 

~***********************************************~

* * *

 

Cloud was in Reno’s office, reading through a magazine on mechanics as he reclined on the futon couch.  They had decided to stay the night there instead of going back to his apartment.  Cloud didn’t mind.  He could sleep practically anywhere…even on bare ground.  Reno went to check in with Rufus and pick up something from the store downstairs.  Cloud thought about changing into his regular clothes but they hadn’t been washed yet.  He could have taken them to the recreational floor and made use of the company Laundromat, but he was tired from his activities earlier in the day and he blew it off, figuring Rufus wouldn’t mind if he kept wearing his clothes until tomorrow.

 

_~Rufus.  Hmm.~_

Cloud thought about the president, picturing his sandy blond hair and piercing gray eyes.  Something had changed in the way he saw the man and he found himself entertaining erotic thoughts about him as he remembered their last encounter.  Rufus was certainly eye candy but until recently, Cloud was only attracted to him on a basic, physical level. 

 

_~I don’t understand how this happened.  What changed?  Was it the way he took care of Reno while he was in a coma, or something else?  He seems more…human to me now.  Complete with a personality and feelings.  Damn, it snuck up on me too.  I was actually, genuinely worried about the snooty bastard when he got kidnapped!~_

That was another thing: He never gave it a second thought when they got the news that he’d been abducted.  The only option he even considered was to help with the rescue.  At first he reasoned that he was only doing it for Reno, but the relief he’d felt when they found Rufus hiding in that air duct made him re-evaluate everything.  When he and Rufus were fleeing the compound in the car, there had been a sense of comradery between the two of them.  He’d never actually fought at the president’s side before and he’d been impressed with how Rufus handled himself.    

 

He thought about the way Reno compared him to a wolf all the time and he suddenly pictured a snarling, blue-eyed, golden-furred animal standing guard at the feet of Rufus and the Turks.  That in itself wasn’t upsetting, but the wolf in the mental picture had a spiked collar around his neck and Rufus Shinra held the leash.

 

Cloud abruptly sat upright in the futon and his eyes went round.  “Holy shit…they’ve domesticated me!”

 

Panic crept up his spine and he looked at the door leading out of Reno’s office with more than a passing interest.  He got out his cellphone and quickly selected one of the saved phone numbers.

 

~*****************************~

* * *

 

Rufus had just poured two glasses of wine and was heading for the bedroom in the back of his office when his cellphone rang.  He thought about ignoring it but considering everything that had recently happened, he didn’t want to risk missing anything important.  He walked to his desk where he had left it and he placed the drinks on the surface before picking the phone up and putting it to his ear.

 

“This is Rufus Shinra.”

 

“Rufus.  It’s Cloud.”  The young man’s low voice was a treat to the ears and Rufus failed to notice the tension in it.

 

“Hello, Cloud,” Rufus greeted with a pleased smile.  He hadn’t expected to hear from the blonde fighter.  “Listen, I want to thank you for—”

 

“I’m not your guard dog.”  Cloud’s words were clipped and his tone was flat as he said it. 

 

“I…pardon me?” Rufus said with a look of genuine bafflement on his face.  There was a click as the other blonde ended the call abruptly.  Rufus pulled the phone away from his ear and stared at it with a confused frown. 

 

_~Just WHAT in the hell was that all about?  I’m starting to wonder if Strife needs a bit of mental therapy.  I’ll gladly pay for it if it will help him be a little more focused and a little less random.~_

With an exasperated sigh, Rufus put the phone back down on his desk and picked up the wine glasses.  Tseng was reclining on his bed when he walked through the door to the bedroom and the Wutaian immediately noticed his frustrated, thoughtful expression.  He’d heard Rufus’s phone ring and he wondered if there was more bad news.

 

“Is everything okay, Sir?”  Tseng’s voice was a gentle, soothing caress.

 

Rufus handed one of the wine glasses to Tseng and gave him a candid look.  “I’ve discovered that I have a unique, amazing talent, Tseng.  I can piss off Cloud Strife without doing a bloody thing.”

 

Tseng stared at him silently, waiting patiently for him to explain.  Rufus dragged his fingers through his pale hair and went on.  “That was Cloud on the phone a moment ago.  I somehow managed to gravely offend him and all I had to do was open my mouth.”

 

“What did you say to him?” Tseng questioned.

 

Rufus looked bewildered—an odd expression on the face of a man who was usually the epitome of cool control.  “Nothing!  I answered the phone, he greeted me and I tried to thank him for his help in rescuing me today.  Do you want to know what his response was?”

 

Tseng tilted his head curiously and waited.

 

“He said—and I quote—‘I’m not your guard dog’.  Then, he hung up on me.  Now tell me, what on Gaia did I do to him this time?”  His growing frustration was evident in his voice and Rufus wasn’t a man that that was easily frustrated.

 

“Sir, I think—”

 

“If you ever want to see Strife pissed off, I’m you’re man,” Rufus interrupted.  He rarely ever interrupted people, considering it to be the height of bad manners regardless of whether he was speaking to a subordinate or not.  His sarcasm grew with his frustration.  “All I need to do is look at the man to raise his hackles…hell, I don’t even have to do that!  If you want to see Cloud Strife bare his teeth, just toss me in the same building with him!”

 

Tseng listened to the tirade and he sipped his wine to hide a smile that was trying to surface.  When Rufus settled down, he looked up at him again and decided to try once more to offer his opinion.  “Koibito, may I tell you what I think?”

 

The soft endearment cooled the president’s rising temper and he gave Tseng a curt nod.  “Fire away.”

 

“Cloud is simple,” Tseng said thoughtfully.  “Ironically, it’s his very simplicity that makes him so complex.”

 

Rufus stared at him, his handsome features growing more exasperated.  “Your effusive ambiguity really doesn’t help right now, Tseng.”

 

The Wutaian smiled fondly at him, un-offended.  “To expand on that, Cloud is a free spirit.  He doesn’t like to live under constraints and he doesn’t thrive on luxury or wealth.  He’s your polar opposite and until recently, he disliked and mistrusted you.”

 

“I was already aware of that,” Rufus reminded him.

 

“Yes, but now he’s seen you in a different light,” reasoned Tseng.  “He’s beginning to like you and that frightens him.”

 

Rufus’s expression softened and he regarded his lover with intrigue.  “And what brought you to this conclusion?”

 

“I’ve been observing his behavior,” Tseng answered calmly.  “When he learned that you had been kidnapped, we didn’t even need to ask him for his help.  He volunteered without a moment’s hesitation.  I’ve also noticed the pensive looks he gives you.  For the first time, he’s truly seeing you, Rufus.  I think he’s having difficulty reconciling his new impression of you with the old and perhaps it’s making him feel nervous.  Does that make sense?”

 

Rufus considered the Wutaian’s observations and he had to agree, it made perfect sense.  He remembered the day Cloud told him he was finally starting to see a human being when he looked at him.  His frustration cooled and he began to feel amusement replacing it.

 

_~Ah, Cloud.  Tseng is right about you.  Your simplicity makes you ridiculously complex for a man like me to understand.  I suppose I’ll have to be more patient with you.  Earning your trust is very much like trying to coax a wild wolf to eat from my hand.~_

He joined Tseng on the bed and sipped his wine, his hand settling familiarly on the raven-haired Turk’s thigh.  Tseng leaned in to kiss the blonde on the neck and Rufus put his thoughts of Cloud aside. 

 

~***********************************~

* * *

 

When Reno returned to his office with his bag of goodies, he found Cloud right at the threshold of the door as soon as he opened it.  The fighter’s sculpted, youthful face was tense and by now Reno knew what that particular expression meant.

 

“What’s got you spooked, Blondie?” Reno said as he shut the door behind him and leaned against it.  Cloud would have to move him bodily to escape and Reno wasn’t about to let him run off.

 

“Nothing,” Cloud said quickly—too quickly.

 

“Yeah, right,” Reno snorted.  He pulled his goggles up and examined his lover with piercing, Mako-tinged eyes.  “Something’s got you wanting to turn tail and run, Strife.  What happened while I was out?”  He set his bag on the floor and crossed his arms over his chest, his expression unyielding on the blonde.

 

Cloud’s sapphire gaze was dismayed as he looked at him.  “I just need a little fresh air,” he said.

 

“Uh-huh.  Why?”  Reno tilted his head to the side inquisitively.

 

Cloud sighed heavily.  Reno wasn’t going to back down until he came clean with him.  The redhead was fucking tenacious when he set a goal.  “All right, I’m freaking out.”

 

“I can see that,” Reno chuckled.  “Wanna tell me why?”

 

Cloud averted his eyes and shrugged.  “I’m getting in too deep with ShinRa.  It’s becoming a regular thing for me to be a guardian and it’s making me feel…I don’t know…”  He trailed off and looked at Reno warily, expecting an outburst.

 

“Connected to us?” Reno supplied softly, a crooked smile forming on his lips.  “Hey Cloud, you know if you were ever in trouble we’d help you, right?  Things ain’t like they used to be and from where I’m standing, that’s a good thing.  Maybe you should just look at it this way: you’ve got more friends, now.  If shit ever hits the fan again, you’ll have your old buds AND the Turks fighting at your side.”

 

 “Somehow I can’t picture Rufus rushing to my aid,” Cloud said dryly.

 

“Why the hell not?” Reno asked with a frown.  “Are ya blind or just spacey?  The boss likes you, Cloud.  I’m operating on a fourth of my damned memories but I don’t need ‘em to see that he’d help you out in a heartbeat if you ever got in trouble.  I know he fucked up with you in the past but you two got along pretty good that night at my place and you didn’t have a problem with helping us rescue him.”

 

Cloud felt unwanted warmth inside at Reno’s words.  He’d been under the impression that to Rufus ShinRa, he was just a tool to be used either as extra muscle or a source of sexual amusement and gratification.  He thought about the way the man had started to thank him moments ago over the phone, before he’d snapped at him and hung up.  Maybe Reno was right.

 

“It’s hard,” Cloud admitted softly.  He couldn’t believe he was being so candid as he continued; “It’s hard to want someone that used to stand for everything I hated.  I know he’s been making some good changes and I know he’s got feelings hidden under all that ice, but I also know what he’s capable of.”

 

“You know what I’m capable of too, but that ain’t stopping you from being with me,” reasoned the redhead with a grin.

 

A little smile curved his lips before Cloud could control it as he met Reno’s eyes.  “So when did you turn into a sage?”

 

Reno shrugged and a twinkle of mirth lit his bright, tourmaline eyes.  “After I got soaked with Mako, I guess.  So have you calmed down now, hot stuff?”

 

Cloud relaxed a little, annoyed with the lingering heat in his face.  “Yeah, I’m okay.”

 

“Good,” said the Turk lightly.  He bent over and picked up the little shopping bag he’d brought in with him.  “’Cause I’ve got a fantasy and the supplies to carry it out, yo.”

 

Cloud’s wariness returned as he looked at the bag in Reno’s hand.  “What sort of fantasy?”

 

Reno chuckled and reached behind him to lock the door.  “You told me the last time we screwed before I had my accident, I topped.  Is that right?”

 

Cloud nodded and swallowed.  His groin tightened as the encounter replayed in his mind. 

 

Reno stepped towards him and reached out with one hand, deftly flicking the buttons open on Cloud’s borrowed shirt.  “I was just thinking, since I can’t remember it a little refresher might be nice.  I told ya this morning we were gonna fuck when this was over with and I meant it.”  He grabbed hold of the material of Cloud’s shirt and tugged, drawing the blonde closer.  “I’ve been thinking about it,” he purred as he licked the other man’s throat, “and I really like the idea of bending you over my desk and having my way with you.  What do ya say, baby?”

 

Cloud closed his eyes and groaned softly as the redhead’s teeth closed lightly over his earlobe and nibbled it.  Reno was the only man that could make him so excited by the thought of being taken from behind.  He had only bottomed with him once before and he hadn’t been disappointed.  He knew this wasn’t something that Reno would ask for often and refusing him wasn’t even an option that occurred to Cloud.  The Turk’s clever hand slid down his body and cupped his stiffening crotch, rubbing his package skillfully through the expensive trousers he was wearing.

 

“I say let’s go for it,” Cloud murmured recklessly, rocking into his companion’s touch.

 

Reno stopped and stared at him with open surprise.  “Really?  I thought I’d have to work a lot harder than that to convince you!”  Reno quickly opened the bag and retrieved the tube of lubricant, then got a condom out of the box.  He put both items in his right blazer pocket and looked at Cloud searchingly as he set the bag on the floor.

 

Cloud lowered his eyes bashfully and shrugged.  “If we hadn’t already done it that way before, you probably would have.”

 

Reno smirked, his arousal growing stronger as he slid his hands around to cup the blonde’s ass.  “So I guess that means I was pretty good, huh?”

 

Color flooded Cloud’s fair cheeks and he nodded mutely.

 

“Damn, I love the way you can be so aggressive one minute and so shy the next,” Reno purred, closing the distance between their mouths.  He kissed Cloud hungrily, swiping his tongue over his lips and thrusting it in when they parted.  He slowly backed the blonde up, guiding him toward the desk while he distracted him with hot kisses.  Cloud didn’t resist and he returned the caress of Reno’s tongue with his own.

 

When Cloud felt the edge of the desk pressing against his backside, Reno stopped guiding him and his hands busily finished their task of unbuttoning his shirt.  As soon as the material was parted the redhead dragged his mouth away from Cloud’s and his lips traveled down his neck and chest.  He latched onto a nipple on his way down and he teased it to hardness with his lips and tongue before moving on.

 

Cloud had to admit he was confused.  Reno said he wanted to bend him over the desk and fuck him but his actions didn’t seem to be leading to that.  The Turk unfastened his belt buckle and pulled it open before tugging his fly down and undoing the button.  Cloud’s breath quickened and he groaned faintly as Reno’s hand burrowed into his open pants and grasped his erection.

 

“Let’s see what we can do about getting you more relaxed,” Reno said with a wink up at Cloud as he got to his knees.  He released his cock and tugged his pants down around his ankles in one smooth motion.  As the blonde ogled him, he did the same with his underwear and grinned at Cloud’s jutting erection.  “Ya know, I think you’ve probably got the prettiest dick I’ve ever seen,” Reno complimented.

 

Cloud’s mouth worked silently as his lover’s words and actions threw him off guard.  Reno’s mouth slipped over the stiffened flesh he’d just praised and Cloud gripped the edge of the desk and gasped.  Reno didn’t pause or hesitate and Cloud’s breath caught again as his clever tongue stroked the length of his sex while his hot mouth took it in. 

 

There were two things that Reno excelled at in life: His job and sex.  He demonstrated that the latter also applied to oral sex and Cloud’s vision blurred with pleasure.  The blonde reached down with trembling hands and curled his fingers into the other man’s bright, wildly spiked hair.  Somehow he managed to tug Reno’s ponytail free of its elastic band and he ran his fingers through the softer length in the back, a low moan rumbling in his throat as the other man tongued the slit in the tip of his cock. 

 

“Feels amazing,” Cloud panted as Reno’s head bobbed rhythmically.  The dexterous, long-fingered hands were stroking his ass and they reached up and captured his, squeezing gently.  Cloud’s eyes shut and he licked his lips, returning the pressure of Reno’s hands.  One of them retreated but the other continued to squeeze his other hand supportively.  A moment later, the right hand returned and Cloud thought nothing of it when Reno cupped his ass and urged him closer, an inch or so away from the desk.  Once he complied, the Turk caught hold of his hands again and guided them behind him to the edge of the desk.

 

Too late, Cloud recognized the move and felt something cool and metallic bump against his ass.  He didn’t get a chance to react before the metal closed over both his wrists.  He heaved an exasperated sigh as the cuffs were fastened.

 

“Not again,” Cloud groaned.

 

Reno chuckled, the sound muffled by the silky, rigid cock he was sucking on.  He ran his hands over Cloud’s hips and ass, sucking harder on the treat he was enjoying.  The action put an end to Cloud’s protests and the blonde’s thighs clenched from the pleasure.  By the defeated way Cloud had groaned his protest, Reno deduced that the time on the motorcycle hadn’t been the only time he’d restrained him.  Blondie was clearly used to getting handcuffed by him and it both amused and aroused the redhead.

 

He knew that if Cloud wanted to, he could snap the cuffs.  The broken pair hanging on the wall in his living room was proof of that.  Reno deep-throated the blonde’s straining cock and waited to see if he’d do it or if he’d play along and let him have his way.  Cloud tensed and moaned his name, but he didn’t break the cuffs.  Satisfied that his lover was going to behave, Reno sucked him harder and faster, squeezing his firm bottom passionately.  He wasn’t sure how many times he’d topped in his lifetime but he was confident that he could do a good job of it if he just listened to his instincts.  Cloud’s admittance that he had been good helped fuel that confidence.

 

Now that he had him excited and willing, Reno moved onto the next step of his plan.  He took his hands away from the soft-skinned cheeks he was squeezing and he reached into his pocket for the lube.  He had the cap opened and a generous dollop of gel squeezed onto his palm in moments.  He spread the lube over the fingers of his right hand quickly and then he dropped the tube back into his pocket and reached up again.  He stroked Cloud’s ass with one hand while he sought out the puckered goal with the other.

 

Cloud felt Reno’s slick fingertips press against his orifice and he knew what the redhead’s intentions were.  Since he’d already agreed to let him fuck him, he didn’t resist the intrusion when one of the fingers slipped gently inside.  The pleasure of Reno’s sucking mouth balanced out the discomfort of the initial penetration and Cloud trembled and gave a soft cry of needy bliss.  Reno pumped his finger in and out a few times before adding a second one.  Cloud clenched his teeth on another moan as the redhead found and stroked his internal gland.

 

“I’m getting close,” Cloud warned in a breathless whine.  A skillful push of Reno’s fingers made his eyes roll and his knees threatened to buckle.  “D-damn…real close,” he revised.  He panted heavily as the tight, slick suction around his cock made his pleasured tension mount further.  “Reno,” he cried raggedly, unable to hold it back.

 

The Turk swallowed his golden-haired companion’s sex, taking it deep down his throat as it pulsed.  Cloud was groaning vocally and his body clenched around the fingers inside of him.  Reno was in love with the blonde’s reactions and he squeezed his ass with his free hand, moaning with desire. 

 

When Cloud was sated and trembling, Reno released his softening cock from his mouth, pulled his fingers out and rose to his feet, running his hands sensually over the blonde’s tight-muscled body as he did so.  He kissed the fighter’s parted, gasping lips passionately while surreptitiously grabbing a tissue from the box on his desk to wipe his hands off.  When he finished with that he balled up the tissue and tossed it into the wastepaper basket without even having to aim.  He slid his fingers into Cloud’s hair and tugged, forcing the blonde’s head back.  Cloud’s soft grunt of discomfort didn’t deter him as Reno sucked and licked at the skin of his throat.

 

“Turn around for me, baby,” Reno purred, sliding his hands out of Cloud’s hair and down to settle on his shoulders to guide him.  Cloud did so with a bit of difficulty, seeing as his ankles were caught up in his pants and underwear.  He managed to get turned around to face the desk without falling on his face, thanks to Reno’s supporting hands.  The Turk grinned, pleased that Cloud still wasn’t trying to break free of the cuffs.  He pushed on his shoulders to urge him down and the blonde complied until his upper body was lying against the surface of the desk and his hips were pressing against the edge of it.  Cloud must have realized how vulnerable the position made him and for a moment, he instinctively began to struggle.    

 

“Easy, Blondie,” Reno soothed in a sensual murmur.  He stroked Cloud’s shoulders and back.  “It’s all just for fun, remember?” 

 

Cloud took a deep breath and forced himself to be still.  Even with his enhanced strength the position he was in now would make it very difficult to get any leverage to break free.  He had panicked a little when he realized it but Reno’s soft reminder and comforting hands calmed him down.  This wasn’t a non-consensual situation despite the surprise handcuffing and he knew that Reno wouldn’t hurt him. 

 

“Sorry,” Cloud muttered.

 

He heard a chuckle and felt the Turk’s lean body press against him as Reno bowed over him.  His breath tickled Cloud’s ear as he spoke.  “It must be really special for you to put up with this for me, Strife.  I can tell how skittish you are about being in this sort of position and I know you’re used to being the one doing the fucking.”  His lips caressed Cloud’s ear, making him shiver.  “I’ll have to get you something nice.”

 

Cloud moistened his lips with his tongue and closed his eyes, narrowly avoiding blurting out that all he wanted was Reno.  It seemed like every day he spent with him, he fell harder for him.  He felt the redhead’s bulge grind against his ass through the trousers he wore and he was chagrined to hear himself moan like a slut.

 

“Hmmm, you sound pretty eager,” Reno observed in a silken tone.  He kissed the blonde’s ear and neck before straightening up to undo his pants.  He admired the round globes of Cloud’s tight ass, partly covered by the open dress shirt that was still on him.  Reno took his belt off before unzipping his fly and unbuttoning his pants.  He was aching with need and he couldn’t wait to feel Cloud’s body sheathing him.  He pulled his trousers down and got the condom and lube out of his pocket, encouraging Cloud to relax while he got ready for him.

 

Cloud listened to the sounds of Reno preparing himself and he closed his eyes again when he felt the Turk’s warmth return to his back.  Reno’s hands slid over his hips and buttocks, stroking and kneading.  The Turk’s warm breath stirred the hair at the nape of Cloud’s neck as he leaned over him.  His lubed, condom-encased erection rubbed against the crevice between Cloud’s cheeks for a moment before he reached down and positioned the head against the tight ring of muscle.

 

“G-Gaia,” Cloud grunted as Reno’s cock nudged into his body.  He bit his lip and tried not to tense against the intrusion, knowing that it would get a lot better once he was in.  Reno stopped and Cloud craned his neck and tried to look at him.  “Something wrong?”

 

“I’m not hurting ya, am I?” Reno answered in a concerned voice.

 

An uncontrollable smile grew on Cloud’s lips.  Reno had been worried about hurting him the first time they did it this way, too.  “No, you aren’t hurting me.  It just takes a minute to get used to it…you should know that.”

 

“Just making sure, Blondie,” replied the Turk breathlessly.  “You’re so damned tight, I got a little worried.”  He eased further in, sucking in a sharp breath as the blonde’s gripping heat squeezed him deliciously.  “Mmm, Cloud,” he sighed as he sank in the rest of the way.  The blonde’s shuddering gasp of pleasure was encouraging and he withdrew to the tip and thrust again.  He gripped Cloud’s hips with his hands and started a careful rhythm, watching and listening for signs that he was being too rough with him.  When the only reactions he got were moans and sighs, Reno decided it was time for the real screwing to begin.

 

Cloud’s eyes went wide as Reno drew back and drove into him with almost punishing force.  His breath escaped in a grunt as the Turk did it again, shoving in at an angle that put pressure on just the right spot.  He was bewildered at the abrupt change, having expected him to take him slowly and gently.  He swore sharply and his erection returned as the redhead’s passionate thrusts stimulated him even as they punished him.  If he thought he could form a coherent sentence, he would have asked Reno if he’d done something to piss him off, but the firm snap of his hips made it hard for Cloud to catch his breath.

 

“Cloud,” Reno panted raggedly, closing his eyes with ecstasy as he fucked the pliant young man.  Maybe the fantasy had been brought on by memories just beneath the surface of getting taken by Rufus this same way, but Reno had been thinking about it for days now.  He looked down at his restrained lover and admired the flush spreading over Cloud’s face.  His cheek was resting on the desk, so Reno could see his handsome profile.  The blue eyes were wide and staring and the sensitive lips were parted and gasping.  Certain now that he wasn’t hurting him, Reno let the pleasure overcome him and he squeezed Cloud’s hips and bucked into him more sharply.

 

“Shit,” Cloud moaned as the desk skittered a little on the hardwood floor.  He wondered if Reno cared that there would probably be scuffmarks from the metal feet but knowing the Turk, probably not.  He felt Reno bow over him again and his gasping breath was again tickling his skin.  One of his hands released its hold on his hip and it curved around to the front to wrap around Cloud’s stiffened cock.

 

“So hard again already,” Reno mused breathlessly, his lips smiling against Cloud’s neck as they planted a kiss there.  “Think I can make ya come again before I’m finished?”  He thrust deeply into him and rotated his hips, making the blonde shudder and moan.  The swollen length he was stroking twitched in his hand, hinting that it wasn’t improbable.  “I think maybe I can, yo.”

 

A whimper escaped Cloud’s lips before he could stop it and he clenched his jaw and tried to hold back further sounds like that.  Reno resumed his sharp, eager pumping and another groan burst from Cloud’s throat from behind clenched teeth.  The Turk’s thrusting cock kept butting against his prostate and before long, Cloud was moaning his name uncontrollably.  The firm, skillful stroking of his swollen sex increased the pleasure and he was sure he was going to orgasm at any moment.

 

Reno was moaning just as fervently as Cloud and he stroked the blonde off desperately, wanting to give him another climax before he finished.  He sensed that Cloud was fighting it and he switched techniques, easing up on the force and speed of his thrusts.  He knew he made the right call when Cloud drew a deep, shuddering gasp and pushed back against him helplessly.  He pumped slowly and leisurely, breaking into a sweat as he came closer and closer to release.

 

“You like a slow ride best, don’tcha baby?” Reno murmured huskily, stroking the tip of the other man’s cock with his thumb.

 

“Oh god, Reno,” Cloud groaned shakenly.  He bucked hard in the fondling hand and splattered the back of Reno’s desk with an impressive load.  He trembled and grunted and he heard Reno swear softly as he clenched around his invading flesh.  Reno went tense against him and moaned his name as he came inside of him.  The redhead fell heavily against his back when it was finished and for several moments, the only sound in the room was of the two men’s ragged breathing.

 

When Cloud spiraled back down from his bliss, he became aware of how uncomfortable he was.  His wrists were still cuffed behind him and Reno’s weight was pressing down on him, making his arms ache.  The edge of the desk was digging into his hips and his ass was quite sore from the pounding he’d taken. 

 

“Hate to spoil the mood,” Cloud gasped, “but this is sort of painful, Reno.”

 

Reno’s cheek was resting on the blonde’s shoulder and he raised his head with sleepy content and looked down at him.  “Hmm?  Oh, right.  Sorry baby, I’ll get these cuffs off of you now.”  He straightened up with effort and slipped out of Cloud’s tight sheath, sighing at the sensation.  He dug around his pockets until he found his keys and he unlocked the cuffs.  He embraced Cloud from behind and helped him stand up, his hands caressing the blonde’s bared chest and stomach.  “Thanks for letting me do that to ya, Cloud.”

 

Cloud covered one of Reno’s hands with his and turned his head for a kiss.  “You asked first, and it was…um…”  He stammered into silence, his shyness coming back.

 

“Good?” Reno finished for him with a grin.

 

Cloud nodded.  “Yeah.  The mess I made on the back of your desk is proof of that.”  He blushed and lowered his eyes.

 

Reno leaned to the side to look past Cloud at the desk in question and he gave a low whistle.  “Damn, Blondie.  Were you trying to paint it white or what?”

 

Cloud grumbled and pulled away, swiftly pulling his underwear and borrowed pants up.  Reno chuckled with delight and disposed of his condom before grabbing a couple of tissues.  After wiping himself off a bit and re-fastening his pants, he cleaned up the mess on the desk.

 

“Oh yeah, Rufus wants us to come to his apartment tomorrow night,” Reno said when he finished.  He hopped onto his desk and sat there with his legs dangling over the side.  “What do ya say?”

 

Cloud looked up from his task of buttoning his shirt, his sapphire eyes immediately wary.  “What for?”

 

“To celebrate, dingbat,” Reno snorted.  “Why else?”  He looked at him searchingly and a slow smirk curved his lips.  “You’re afraid he’s gonna molest you.”

 

“I’m not ‘afraid’ of anything…especially Rufus Shinra,” Cloud shot back.  “I suppose he invited Tseng and Rude too, right?”  He knew from first-hand experience how Rufus’s little “parties” ended up when he only invited his favorite male Turks.

 

“Well yeah, of course he invited them,” Reno shrugged casually.  “Hey, the boss just wants to spend a little time with us, man.  Even if some nookie does happen, I know you’d be up for it.”  He gave the blonde’s crotch a leer, leaving little doubt that the pun was intended.

 

Cloud sighed.  He’d just been freaking out over his growing bond with Rufus and the Turks and now Reno wanted him to throw himself in their midst.  “Do I look like a glutton for punishment, to you?”

 

“Yeah, actually,” Reno laughed.  He sobered a moment later and regarded him with thoughtful, bright eyes.  “Cloud, you’re gonna have to give him a chance sometime.  I promise, nobody’s going to tie you up or cuff you unless ya want ‘em to…and that includes me.  Will you just come with me tomorrow night?  We’ll hang out, drink and have a good time.  If you want me to, I’ll even call him up right now and tell him he’s got to swear he won’t try anything with ya.”

 

“As if I could trust any promise he’d make,” Cloud mumbled.  He sighed again and nodded in defeat.  “All right, I’ll go.  If I see any signs that someone’s going to drug me, cuff me or use ‘toys’ on me, I’m out of there.  Oh, and you’ve got to let me search you for cuffs before we go, too.  You aren’t exactly trustworthy when it comes to those things either.”

 

Reno didn’t take offense.  He grinned and nodded.  “You’ve got yourself a deal, Blondie.”

 

~*****************************~

* * *

 

The next morning, Cloud woke Reno early to do their training.  The redhead grumbled crossly, complaining that he never had to wake up this early even when he was just starting out with the company.  Cloud just grinned at him and changed into the sparring outfit he kept in the redhead’s office.

 

“We’ll train for a couple of hours and then we can have a break, get cleaned up and wash our clothes,” Cloud said as he pulled his muscle shirt over his head.  He almost laughed as Reno stumbled in the process of pulling on his sweats and nearly fell on his face.  “We can get some coffee first, if you want.”

 

Reno looked out the window and groaned.  “The sun ain’t even up yet, Strife!  You’re gonna owe me another round of desk fucking if you keep doing this to me.”  He tied the drawstrings of his sweatpants and looked longingly at the rumpled sheets on the futon.

 

“You can have a nap after training,” Cloud said with a shrug.  “Hey, you asked me to come and help you, remember?  I don’t do anything half-assed.”

 

“No,” Reno agreed with a sigh, “you’re definitely using your whole ass for this.” 

 

Cloud laughed before he could stop himself, feeling a surge of affection for the exotic Turk.

 

~*********************************~

* * *

 

After stopping in at the cafeteria and having breakfast and coffee, they trained for more than two hours, until both men were sweaty and worn out.  Reno’s control over his limbs was steadily improving and Cloud had no doubt that he would be twice as formidable in a fight as he used to be, when they finished honing his abilities.  He felt a swell of pride for his Turk lover.  Reno had beaten impossible odds and Cloud was inclined to believe that his success was as much due to his stubborn, bright spirit as the treatment that Reeve’s team had given him.

 

After showering and doing laundry, they changed into clean clothes.  Reno went back to his office to have a short nap but Cloud declined, remembering that he still had Rufus’s clothes. 

 

“I’m just going to drop these off at his office,” said the blonde.  “Reeve and Vincent are going back to the WRO headquarters at noon too, so I’m going to visit them for a minute to say goodbye.”

 

“Okay, Blondie,” Reno covered his mouth on a yawn.  “Wake me up in a couple of hours, will ya?”

 

“I will,” Cloud agreed.  The elevator reached Reno’s floor and the redhead picked up the basket full of their fresh laundry and exited while Cloud watched. 

 

_~I love him.~_

The silent admission came easily to Cloud now as he admired the sway of Reno’s long, fiery ponytail before the doors slid shut again.  He’d known it for a while now, but just saying the words in his head made a burden lift from his shoulders.  If someone had told him two years ago that he’d end up in a passionate relationship with Reno of the Turks, he’d have scoffed.  Now he couldn’t imagine his life without him.

 

Cloud leaned back against the elevator wall and looked down at the bundle of clothes in his arms.  If someone had told him he’d end up putting his ass on the line to save Rufus Shinra, he’d have tried to have them committed.  Now he was bringing the man a set of expensive clothes that he had borrowed to do just that. 

 

~*******************************~

* * *

 

Cloud was a little disconcerted to find Tseng in the office with Rufus when the secretary buzzed him in.  He wanted to say something to the president but he wasn’t comfortable saying it in front of the Wutaian. 

 

“Uh, I just wanted to bring these back to you,” Cloud said as he approached with the folded clothes and shoes.  He crossed the room as Rufus stood up and he set them down on top of his desk.  “I made sure there weren’t any stains or scuffs,” the blonde finished softly, averting his eyes.

 

Rufus looked down at the returned clothes and then glanced at Tseng, briefly and meaningfully.  The raven-haired Turk understood the silent request and he tactfully excused himself, saying that he had new recruits to check in on.  When he was gone, Rufus looked at Cloud and smiled pleasantly.

 

“Don’t worry, all of the new recruits are here voluntarily.”

 

Cloud looked at Rufus, a little startled by his words.  He hadn’t even been thinking about what methods the Turks might have used to bring in fresh blood, but the soft reassurance reminded him again that they had made some positive changes.  He nodded and shuffled his feet.

 

“That’s good.  Hey look, about that phone call I made to you last night?  I was just…I don’t know, I was—”

 

“Don’t worry about it,” Rufus said with a casual wave of his hand when he saw how much trouble Strife was having choking out an apology.  “I think I understand.  There are no hard feelings, Cloud.”

 

The fighter gazed into Rufus’s calm gray eyes and he felt his cheeks grow warm at the elegant reassurance.  “So, Reno told me you want us to come to your apartment tonight?”

 

Rufus nodded.  “Indeed.  There will be plenty to eat and drink, and I have two spare bedrooms for you to choose from if you stay late.  Are you up for it, Strife?”

 

Cloud swallowed at the faint challenge he detected in that cool gaze.  “Yeah, I’ll be there.  No funny stuff, okay?”

 

Rufus smirked, his eyes lighting up in a way that hinted fond feelings.  “I wouldn’t dream of it.  Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have a pile of paperwork that needs to be finished.”

 

Cloud looked down at the impressive stack on the desk and he frowned a little.  “You just got back from being held for ransom,” he said, his eyes meeting the president’s again.  “Shouldn’t you be taking it easy?”

 

Rufus studied him and his gaze softened.  “There’s no rest for the wicked, Cloud.”  He gave him another one of those sexy, quiet smiles.  “I appreciate your concern, though.  It’s the end of the week, so I’ll have two days to relax after this.  I’ll see you tonight.”

 

Cloud nodded, disturbed by the affect that Rufus’s warm gaze and seductive smile had on him.  “See you then.  Don’t overdo it.”  He winced at the last sentence, wishing he hadn’t said it.  He was showing too much concern for the man and encouraging him wasn’t a good idea.

 

“I’ll try not to…Blondie.”  Rufus seemed delighted.

 

Cloud beat a hasty retreat, wanting to kick himself.

 

~***********************************~

* * *

 

He caught Reeve and Vincent just as they were leaving the WRO director’s company suite.  Reeve had just finished locking the door and he had his suitcase in one hand and his keys in the other.  He saw Cloud approaching and he smiled.

 

“I was wondering if we’d see you before we left,” Reeve said as he pocketed his keys and reached out to shake Cloud’s hand.  “I wasn’t certain you’d be awake, otherwise I would have called to say goodbye.”

 

“Oh, I’ve been up since before sunrise,” Cloud said with a little smile as he returned the handshake.  “Reno’s about ready to kill me for it but morning workouts are the best.”  He looked at Vincent, who stood silently at Reeve’s side.  “So, word has it you’re going to stay with Reeve for a while, is that right?”

 

Vincent nodded, his ruby eyes going to Reeve.  “For a while,” he agreed. 

 

The other man returned his gaze and Cloud understood that “for a while” actually meant “for as long as Reeve wants me to”.  The golden-haired fighter couldn’t contain his grin at the warmth that passed between his two friends.  The sexual tension between them was gone, replaced by an easy, sensual familiarity and mutual fondness that was hard to miss.  Cloud guessed that Reeve must have taken his advice the night before because from where he was standing, it looked like they were head-over-heels for each other.

 

“I’m glad to hear it,” Cloud said.

 

Vincent lowered his eyes and a tiny, subtle smile curved his lips.

 

~****************************~

* * *

 

That night, after the building was locked up and most of the employees went home for the evening, Cloud and Reno took Fenrir to Rufus’s apartment on the other side of town.  It didn’t surprise Cloud to learn that the president was in the penthouse and he waited with his companion as the elevator ascended to the top floor.

 

“Why doesn’t he just buy a mansion somewhere in the country?” Cloud asked as he crossed his arms over his chest and watched the digital numbers on the panel above the door.

 

“He’s a city boy,” Reno shrugged.  “He likes the lights and the noise, just like me.”

 

Cloud chuckled and shook his head.  “Man, I’m really nothing like you guys at all, am I?”

 

“Thank Shiva for that,” Reno agreed with a grin.

 

They finally reached their floor and together, they exited the elevator and walked down the lighted hallway to Rufus’s door.  Reno pushed the doorbell and Cloud wasn’t surprised to see Tseng answer the door.  What did surprise him was that the Wutaian was in a black silk robe. 

 

“Please, come in,” Tseng invited with a serene smile at them both.  He stepped aside to make room and Cloud’s figurative hackles raised as he followed Reno inside and heard the door swing shut behind him.  He scanned the interior, amazed at how spacious and elegant the foyer and living area was.  Rufus was approaching from the direction of the bar at the end of the room and he was also in a bathrobe…only his was white. 

 

“Cloud, Reno, welcome,” he said.  “Help yourselves to the liquor.  Cloud, there’s beer in the bar refrigerator.  I wasn’t certain what kind you preferred so I stocked several different brands.”

 

“Uh, thanks,” Cloud said, trying to keep his eyes off the exposed flash of chest in the open V of the other blonde’s robe.  He followed Reno to the bar and took a deep breath as he opened the mini fridge. 

 

_~Just relax.  Obviously he and Tseng just finished having sex or taking a shower together or something.  It’s cool.~_

“Yo boss, where’s Rude?” Reno asked as he started to mix a drink for himself.

 

“In the bathtub,” answered Rufus casually.

 

Cloud straightened up abruptly and bumped his head on the overhead cabinet.  Tseng and Reno winced in sympathy as the blonde groaned and rubbed his scalp.

 

“Perhaps something a bit stronger than beer is in order?” Tseng suggested with a soft smile as he saw the tension in Cloud’s tight-muscled frame.

 

“No, I’ll stick with this for now, thanks,” Cloud said.  His eyes shot to the door, far across the room. 

 

Reno smoothly moved so that he’d have to knock him over to get to it.  “So what’s happening, Sir?”  He asked Rufus as he shook the tumbler that held his mixture.  “Did you guys decide to have a Jacuzzi party or what?”

 

“Something like that,” Rufus confirmed.  He looked at Cloud and a twinkle of mischief lit his eye.  “Oh, I have something for you, Strife.  I thought you might appreciate it.”  He squeezed in behind the bar and reached up to open one of the overhead cabinets while Cloud watched with wide, worried blue eyes.  He searched inside and turned around with the item he retrieved, giving the other blonde a wry smirk.  “How do you like it?”

 

Cloud stared at the spiked leather dog collar and accompanying leash attached to it.  It was very similar to the one he’d pictured when he had freaked out last night and he took a step back, the color draining from his face.

 

“No…way…” Cloud said in a halting gasp.

 

~***************************************~

* * *

 

-To be continued  


	17. Chapter 17

“Guardian”

Chapter 17

~*******************************************~

* * *

*Disclaimer:  Final Fantasy and all characters therein belong to Square-Enix.  This fiction piece is strictly a non-profit exercise of creativity and entertainment for people (like me) who can’t get enough of this world and the characters.* 

~***********************************************~

* * *

 

Rufus noticed the alarm in Cloud’s face and he frowned.  “Remember your comment over the phone, Cloud?  I thought I might lighten the mood.”  He held out the collar and leash, draping them over the other blonde’s slack free hand.

 

Cloud looked at the combo dumbly, his mind registering that the president wasn’t attempting to put them on him at all.  “My comment?”  He said stupidly.

 

“Yes, Strife.  Guard dog?” Rufus smirked at him patiently.

 

“So it’s…like a joke?” Cloud took hold of the collar and leash warily, looking from it to Rufus and the others.  Reno was shaking his head and giving him a pitying look, while Tseng was tactfully busying himself with the creation of another drink.

 

“Well, more of a visual gag,” corrected Rufus.  “I can see by the look on your face that I’ve failed to humor you.”

 

Cloud looked at Reno again and saw him shaking with silent laughter.  He suddenly felt very, very stupid.  There was no way Rufus could have read his mind; it was merely a freakish coincidence and the president was only teasing him in his obscure way.  He’d just failed on an epic blonde level to comprehend a very obvious gag.

 

“Oh yeah,” Cloud said with an uncomfortable little grin.  “That’s…cute.”

 

Rufus chuckled softly.  “Clearly, I need to work on my delivery.  Have your beer and relax, Strife.  As I said before; I’ve learned my lesson concerning you.”

 

Cloud watched as the other blonde mixed himself a martini and walked away, heading towards a hallway at the far left of the main living room.  Tseng followed with his drink and Rufus called out an invitation over his shoulder for Cloud and Reno to join them if they wished.

 

“See?  I told ya, Blondie,” Reno said as he sidled closer to Cloud and sipped his drink.  “You got yourself all worked up over a little gag.  Will you unwind, now?”

 

Cloud set the collar and leash on the counter and shrugged, his face burning with embarrassment.  “With him, I can’t tell what’s a joke and what’s real,” he said defensively.  “What exactly does he want us to join him doing, anyhow?”

 

“Probably the tub, man,” Reno said.  “He’s got a freakin’ Jacuzzi in there.  Think I can convince you to come with me for a little R and R?”

 

Cloud looked down at himself, then warily back at Reno.  “I didn’t bring any swimmers.”

 

“Just go starkers,” Reno suggested with a shrug.  “That’s what I plan on doing.”

 

“Oh, I don’t think so,” Cloud said before taking a swallow of beer.

 

Reno huffed a laugh and shook his head.  “I know everybody’s already seen you before, Blondie.  I don’t know why you’re so shy…how about if I get a towel for ya and you can wear it around your waist until you hop in?”  Reno closed the distance between them and reached out to slide a hand over Cloud’s shoulder and down his t-shirt clad chest.  “Come on, don’t be a puss, yo.  Even naked and unarmed you know you could kick all our asses if we tried anything.  Can’t ya just try to trust me?”

 

“It’s not really you I don’t trust,” Cloud admitted.  He realized that for the first time in history, he actually DID trust Reno.  It was the redhead’s boss and work associates he didn’t trust yet.  He swallowed as Reno drew close and nibbled his ear.  “Cut that out,” he protested weakly.  His eyes closed with pleasure as the redhead’s teeth scraped the sensitive lobe.

 

“Come on, Cloud.  Let’s have a soak with the others,” Reno coaxed seductively, running his tongue over the shell of the blonde’s ear.  “It’ll be nice.”

 

Cloud tried to stop the deft hands that were sliding up under his t-shirt.  “Okay look, if I agree to give it a try will you stop mauling me?”  He was starting to react to Reno’s sensual touch and the last thing he wanted right now was to get caught with a raging hard on. 

 

Reno’s soft laugh tickled his neck and the Turk obliged him and pulled away.  “Okay, I’ll knock it off.  Don’t chicken out on me, Blondie.”

 

~******************************~

* * *

 

Rufus wasn’t all that surprised when Reno and Cloud joined them in the Jacuzzi.  He had a healthy respect for his fox’s persuasive powers and he admired the redhead’s shameless nudity as Reno stepped into the tub and sank down next to Rude.  Cloud made Rufus want to laugh, though.  The blonde looked like a timid teen.  He and Reno had obviously discovered the towel cabinet in the adjoining part of the bathroom and Cloud wore a purple bath towel draped around his waist, which he didn’t remove until he stepped onto the hump and started to sink down into the water. 

 

Rufus was a little disappointed that he only caught a glimpse of the golden-haired fighter’s genitals before they were submerged, but he was patient.  “I’m glad you decided to join us,” he said courteously, lifting his cocktail glass in a quick salute.  “Is the water temperature to your liking?”

 

Cloud was sandwiched between Reno and Tseng and he squirmed and tried to relax.  “Feels fine,” he mumbled.  Reno was already greeting Rude in a very friendly way and Cloud was embarrassed by how arousing the sight of the two of them kissing was to him.  To his credit, Rude was trying to be conservative and he seemed as uncomfortable with public macking as Cloud was.

 

“Easy, Red,” the bald man murmured, his brown features going ruddy as he reached under the water to control Reno’s exploring hands.

 

“Haven’t had enough to drink yet?” Reno guessed with a chuckle.  He frowned as he felt something under the water and he looked at his partner and reached up with his free hand to push Rude’s shades up.  “You big wuss!  You’re wearing swimmers!”  He groped and Rude grunted and shifted.  “Hell, they ain’t even swimmers…they’re fucking boxer shorts!  Yo boss, did ya know about this?”  He turned scandalized, vivid eyes to Rufus, who was smirking with amusement next to Tseng.

 

“Yes,” Rufus informed.  “Perhaps you don’t remember, but it takes Rude a while longer than us to get comfortable in a public setting.”

 

Cloud glanced at the bald Turk enviously, wishing he had thought to wear his boxers too.  He barely caught a laugh as Reno began struggling with Rude in an attempt to pull the offending clothing article off of him.

 

“Lose ‘em, big guy,” Reno grunted, only half-kidding.

 

“Cut it out, man!” Rude grunted back as he did his best to stop his partner’s nimble hands from relieving him of his boxers. 

 

Cloud found himself sharing a grin with Rufus and Tseng, amused at the antics of the redhead and the bald man. 

_~And here I was worried that I’d be the one getting molested tonight.  Looks like Rude’s got that covered for me, poor guy.~_

“Ack!  No pinching!” Reno complained suddenly, his groping hands suddenly reaching behind to rub his bottom.

 

“You started it,” Rude grumbled, though he was starting to smile. 

 

“Oh yeah?” Reno’s eyes flashed with lust and mischief.  “I’m gonna finish it, bud.”  He sank into the water until he was fully submerged and his presence left Cloud’s side.

 

“H-hey,” Rude gasped, reaching beneath the water.

 

Cloud’s face heated and he looked away, guessing what his lover must be doing beneath the swirling, bubbling water.  His gaze met Rufus’s and the president had a mischievous look in his eyes to match Reno’s.

 

“Watch this, Strife,” Rufus said.

 

Cloud obeyed with a confused, curious expression on his face.  Rufus shifted in his seat and suddenly Reno’s head popped up out of the water and the redhead gasped and sputtered, dragging his soaked bangs out of his eyes.  Reno looked around at everyone accusingly.

 

“Yo, who poked me in the ass with their toe!?”

 

Cloud coughed and reached for his beer.  “Wasn’t me,” he muttered. 

 

Reno twisted in Rude’s lap to shoot a suspicious look at Rufus, who spread his hands innocently.  His sly smirk belied the action, however.  “Whatever are you talking about, Fox?”

 

Cloud choked on his beer and Tseng scooted closer to him to pat him on the back solicitously. 

 

Reno narrowed his eyes at the president.  “You’re next, boss,” he threatened.

 

 “Promises, promises,” Rufus countered lazily.

 

Reno gave him one more narrow-eyed look before going under again while Rude protested.  The bald man’s face broke into a sweat and he grunted softly, his lips parting.

 

Cloud didn’t get the chance to feel uncomfortable again, because Tseng was suddenly pressing soft, silken kisses against his shoulder and neck.  Distracted by the sensation, the blonde turned his head to say something to the Wutaian and the next thing he knew, he was kissing him on the mouth.  He’d forgotten what a good kisser Tseng was and he groaned softly at the gentle swirl of the other man’s tongue against his.  Out the corner of his eye, he saw Rufus slide closer to Rude and put an arm around him.  The sight of the other blond giving the muscular Turk an open-mouthed kiss only served to increase the sudden burst of arousal he felt and Cloud hardened completely beneath the warm water.

 

_~I knew something like this was going to happen if I came in here, but I didn’t expect it to go this way.  It…it’s not that strange at all, actually.  It feels kind of…right.~_

Cloud returned Tseng’s sensual kisses and he caressed the raven-haired Turk’s face with his fingers.  Tseng made a pleased sound in his throat that prompted Cloud to explore further.  The other man wasn’t aggressive so much as intense and it turned him on and made him want more.  Tseng’s hands kneaded Cloud’s shoulders with skillful, soothing strokes and after a few moments, they glided down his arms and caressed his chest and abdomen.  Cloud reciprocated the touching, his hands stroking Tseng’s toned stomach with eager curiosity.  He heard Rude’s quickening breath and a muffled groan and he guessed that the bald man was getting some pretty intense stimulation from both Rufus and Reno.

 

“Maybe we should give them some privacy,” Cloud murmured breathlessly against Tseng’s lips as Rude swore softly.

 

“Nonsense,” purred the Wutaian with a smile.  “They’re far too busy now to notice us.  Relax, Cloud.”  With that said, he captured the blonde’s lips again and gave him another deep, disorienting kiss.

 

Cloud couldn’t find the breath or inclination to argue further about it.  He squeezed Tseng’s long-muscled thigh and dragged his hand up the length of it, towards his groin.  Tseng rewarded him with a soft, needy moan and the sound encouraged the blonde to continue.  His hand discovered the Turk’s erect cock and he curled his fingers around it and began to stroke it.  Tseng murmured his name in a grateful tone and sucked on his tongue, his skillful hands sliding down the blonde’s ribcage and over his hips. 

 

Cloud heard Reno come up for air and he almost laughed into Tseng’s mouth when he heard the redhead speak.  “Ha, I got the damned things off!”  There was a wet smack as Reno tossed Rude’s soaked boxers out of the tub and onto the linoleum floor.  He must have submerged again after that because Rude groaned again and gasped his name.

 

Cloud paid no more attention to what the others were doing after that, because Tseng had begun to reciprocate his fondling.  The fighter rolled his hips with the motions of his companion’s stroking hand, his breath quickening with pleasure and desire.  Tseng likewise shifted his pelvis and he moaned softly with need as Cloud’s other hand reached further down to massage his balls.

 

The sound of Rude groaning throatily into Rufus’s kissing mouth made Cloud and Tseng pause in their kissing to look at him.  The bald man was flushed and gasping, obviously in the latter stage of an orgasm.  Reno’s head emerged from the water again after a moment and his hair floated around him in crimson tendrils as he kissed his partner’s panting mouth before turning his attention to Rufus.  Rude was beyond embarrassment at this point, sated as he was.  His big hand stroked Reno’s pale shoulder as he relaxed and watched the redhead kiss Rufus with greedy lust.

 

“I think our kitsune is going to win this encounter,” Tseng whispered huskily to Cloud as the redhead’s hands moved beneath the water and Rufus groaned.

 

“Keeping up with him is a lost cause,” Cloud agreed breathlessly.  He bit back a moan as he watched the president’s expression relax into pleasure.  Tseng’s stroking hand hadn’t slowed and he was getting close.  Making out with the Turk director while watching Reno go to town on his partner and Rufus was hotter than Cloud could have imagined.  Tseng began to tense up and Cloud captured his mouth again for a kiss, knowing that he was close as well.

 

“Strife,” Tseng panted when they broke the kiss.  His dark eyes were soft with pleasure as they gazed into his and his shapely lips were kiss-swollen and parted.  Cloud closed the distance between their mouths and traced his gasping lips with his tongue, groaning softly as the silken length he stroked began to pulse in his grasp.  He thrust his tongue into Tseng’s mouth as the other man came, muffling the soft cries emitting from his throat. 

 

Tseng was barely finished climaxing when Cloud started to come.  The blonde broke the kiss and buried his face against the Wutaian’s neck as he began to buck in his stroking hand.  “Feels…so good,” Cloud moaned against the soft skin. 

 

Tseng nuzzled his hair, his labored breath stirring the golden strands as he hugged Cloud to him with one arm and kept stroking him with his other hand.  He loved the way Cloud gasped as he came and the way he put his head on his shoulder when it finished.  He found it endearing and he reached up with the arm he was embracing him with and ran his wet fingers through the blonde’s hair.

 

Cloud returned Tseng’s half-embrace and rested his head on his shoulder as he recovered.  Reno had vanished under the water again and this time, it was obviously Rufus getting an underwater blowjob.  Rude was kissing the president deeply, one hand cupping his jaw to hold his head still and the other teasing his nipples one at a time. 

 

Cloud blinked with surprise.  He thought he remembered Reno telling him something about Rufus playing a more submissive role for Rude from time to time, but this was the first time he ever saw it for himself.  The blonde ShinRa leader looked insanely hot right now, with that expression of surrender on his handsome face as he allowed his subordinate to dominate the kiss.  Suddenly, Cloud had a new mental picture concerning the dog collar and he flushed.  Sure, the man might bottom sometimes for Rude but that was the exception, not the rule.   

 

 _~He’d never go for it,~_ Cloud argued with himself as he pictured Rufus in his suit with his shirt hanging open and the spiked collar around his neck.  _~I’d probably have to wrestle it onto him and I’ve got no damn business even thinking about doing that, when I’ve been holding a grudge against him for pulling stunts like that on me.  Shit, I was ready to deck him earlier until I found out the collar was just a gag.~_

Cloud felt like an utter hypocrite as he watched Rufus and continued imagining it.  The fantasy kept switching between him fucking Rufus and Rufus fucking him but in both fantasies, Rufus was the one wearing the collar.  The blonde shifted uncomfortably as his recently spent hard on began to return.  He desperately willed it to go down and he tried to think unsexy thoughts.

 

_~Reno’s a bad influence.  I’m turning into a fucking pervert.~_

Reno didn’t come up for breath again and Cloud started to get a little worried about him.  He realized why the Turk was holding off on it when Rufus began to pant hard and fast against Rude’s mouth.  The president’s hips lifted off the hump he was sitting on as he came in Reno’s mouth and his eyes fluttered shut.  Reno emerged again, gasping and coughing a little but looking quite pleased with himself.  He straddled Rufus’s lap and kissed his neck while the blonde recovered from his orgasm.

 

“We seem to have created our own gene pool,” Rufus commented breathlessly.

 

Tseng was the first to get the crack and he laughed softly.  The others followed suite, except for poor Cloud.  He smirked uncomfortably, feeling like an idiot for his failure to get yet another of Rufus’s jokes.

 

“Stewing in our own juices,” Reno chuckled.

 

That, Cloud understood.  Everyone except Reno had contributed some of their DNA to the whirlpool and now they were sitting in it.  He started to chuckle, but his amusement turned into discomfort as he thought about it.  Evidently he wasn’t the only one to come to the conclusion that it wasn’t so funny anymore, because Rude frowned and Rufus shifted Reno on his lap and grimaced. 

 

_~Leave it to Reno to tell it like it is.~_

 

“Maybe it’s time to get out,” Rufus suggested.

 

Cloud was already climbing out and reaching for his towel.

 

~***************************************~

* * *

 

After drying off and getting dressed, they took advantage of the food Rufus provided.  His kitchen was huge and Cloud was impressed at the spread.  The man had set up a mini buffet on the row of kitchen islands for his guests, with chafing dishes keeping the hot food warm and covered cooling trays keeping the raw fruits and veggies cold.  There was a crock-pot in the center containing some sort of hot, homemade dip and a tray covered with various kinds of crackers, chips and cheese slices.  He’d even provided a selection of different kinds of sushi.

 

Cloud stood there blinking at the display of food, his mouth watering even as he silently thought it was overkill.  “Are you expecting an army, Rufus?” he asked when the other blond began to take the lids off of the chafing dishes so that his guests could get to the food.

 

“I think you underestimate how much food five healthy men can put away, Cloud,” the president said with a smile.  “Really, it lookslike there’s more than there is because I wanted to provide enough variety to satisfy everyone.” 

 

“Did ya cook all of this stuff, boss?” Reno asked as vaguely remembered that Rufus had a habit of spoiling his employees from time to time.

 

“I didn’t have time to cook all of this on my own,” Rufus answered with some amusement.  “Given that I planned this gathering overnight, I had to rely on a caterer for some of it.  The sushi was the most difficult thing that I prepared myself.”

 

“Your sushi is always good, Koibito,” Tseng complimented, and it was the first thing he went for once he got his plate.  Rude was already putting some sausages and barbequed ribs on his, while Reno was going for the chicken kabobs. 

 

“Please, help yourself, Cloud,” Rufus encouraged as he handed a plate to the fighter.  “I’d suggest if you want any red meat, you should get it now before Rude takes it all.”

 

“Sir, did you cook these ribs?” Rude asked as he paused.  Rufus nodded and he took two more helpings.

 

“You must be a pretty good cook,” Cloud said with a smirk as he took the president’s advice and started selecting his food.

 

“He does things to meat you wouldn’t believe,” Rude informed him.

 

Reno snickered loudly, nearly spilling his plate. 

 

“You’ve got a real smutty mind, partner,” Rude said with an embarrassed frown.

 

“I appreciate the compliment, nonetheless,” Rufus chuckled.

 

At first, Cloud thought that the Turks must have just been kissing their boss’s ass with their compliments to his culinary skills.  Once he finished filling his plate and sat down to eat, he discovered that they weren’t just paying the man lip service.  As soon as he took a bite out of the tender ribs, his eyes popped wide.  It tasted so good it was practically orgasmic to his taste buds.

 

“Oh my god,” Cloud mumbled as he finished chewing and swallowing.

 

The others paused and Rufus lifted an inquiring brow.  “Is something the matter?”

 

“These ribs,” Cloud said, licking his lips.  “They’re amazing!”  His sapphire eyes were full of awe as he looked at Rufus.  Rude nodded in agreement and continued to eat with a sharp appetite.

 

Rufus smiled with pleasure at the compliment.  “Why, thank you Cloud.”

 

“Why didn’t I know about your cooking before?” the fighter went on as he took another bite.  “Mmm!  I never would have guessed!”

 

The Turks were chuckling softly and Rufus actually looked a little embarrassed.  “I once entertained dreams of becoming a chef,” he admitted.

 

“What the hell stopped you?” Cloud asked.  His youthful features were still openly amazed.

 

Rufus lifted his pale brows meaningfully and Cloud caught on.  “Oh.  Dear old Dad,” the fighter grumbled.  “Figures.” 

 

Things could have been quite different if Rufus had been allowed to pursue his dream and Cloud regarded the president with regretful eyes.  It was too late for him to drop everything to take up a culinary career, he knew.  Rufus had too much invested in his company and the WRO.  Cloud finished another bite and decided to give the other man one more glowing compliment.

 

“I’ll bet you’d be just as rich as you are now if you made your living on your cooking.”

 

Rufus chuckled softly, thinking of Tseng’s observation that Cloud was “simple but complex”.  It seemed that part of that simplicity lay in pleasing his stomach.  “Perhaps,” Rufus said with uncharacteristic modesty.  “I’m content to show off once in a while for my guests.  It’s a pity I rarely have the time to do it more often, but it’s always a pleasure.”

 

He was touched, really.  Cloud was so expressive with his thoughts and emotions and the appreciation in his gorgeous blue eyes as he complimented his cooking was quite rewarding for Rufus.  He hadn’t felt this flattered over his cooking in a long time and his affection for the unpredictable, golden-haired fighter grew.

 

~**************************************~

* * *

 

Cloud could tell which dishes were Rufus’s and which were the caterer’s.  The sushi was as mouth-watering as the ribs had been and the dip was some kind of cheese, capsicum and tomato mixture that made his taste buds sing.  The sausages, chicken and shrimp were good too, but they lacked that special flare that marked Rufus’s surprising culinary gifts.  He ate until he had to loosen his belt a notch and the others were just as stuffed as he was by the time they were finished. 

 

After eating, they all went into the living room for more drinks and socializing.  Rufus turned on the stereo and set the volume at a level that wouldn’t interfere with conversation.  Reno sat down beside him on the couch, putting an arm around him familiarly.  Cloud sat beside Rude on the adjacent love seat and Tseng sat on Rufus’s other side.

 

It occurred to Cloud that of everyone in the room, Reno was the only one that hadn’t gotten off yet.  He wondered why the redhead wasn’t complaining about that, but then he remembered that for Reno, half of the fun was making his partners come.  He got off on making them moan his name and it was obvious by the way he was stroking Rufus’s hair that he was confident he’d have his own orgasm before the night was through. 

 

Reno’s hair had dried and it hung loose, spilling over his shoulders and down his back.  His activities in the tub had rinsed the gel out of it and the layered hair on top feathered over his brow softly—a change from the usual fluffed and spiked style.  He looked a bit like he had when he was in a coma, except of course now he was awake and the long mane was vivid red instead of his natural auburn color.  Cloud rather liked the softened look on him.  Reno always managed to look gorgeous and now was no exception.

 

Reno noticed Cloud’s covert stare and he smirked softly, appreciating the attention even though the blonde was trying to be subtle about it.  As he chatted with the Turks, Rufus and Cloud he admired each of them for their own unique looks and personality.  He’d been thrilled when Cloud and Tseng made out in the tub together and he was confident that eventually, Rude would hook up with the blonde too.  With them, it was just a matter of time and Cloud didn’t seem to have the deep-seeded trust issues towards them that he did with Rufus. 

 

~Hmph…it’s kind of ironic that Cloud hasn’t fucked or been fucked by Tseng or Rude yet but I’m not worried about him hooking up with them sooner or later.  He’s gotten it on with the boss a few times now, but those damn barriers are still there.  I think it’s about time to get rid of ‘em.~

 

  He bided his time, silently plotting while he socialized and flirted with his lovers.  He had to wait for the right moment or his idea was going to go down the drain.  Rufus had no problems being intimate in front of people but Cloud took a little coaxing and he was already leery of the president.  For Reno’s idea to work, they needed privacy.  When he thought Cloud and Rufus had both had enough to drink to make them less inhibited without blurring their judgment too much, he set his plan into motion. 

 

Reno stood up and stretched, shooting a look at Tseng and Rude as he did so.  “I’m a little hungry again.  I think I’ll go raid the leftovers.” 

 

After years of working together, their bond was such that they could silently communicate with covert gestures or looks.  The other two men both caught the meaning behind his look and they excused themselves to follow him into the kitchen.

 

“I think I’ll have a little more to eat too,” Rude said.

 

“That sounds like a good idea,” agreed Tseng, standing up to follow the bald man out of the room.

 

Cloud and Rufus watched them go and the fighter shook his head.  “Where do they keep it all?  Do they have a hollow leg or something?”

 

Rufus smirked.  He knew his Turks well and he suspected that Reno was trying to set something up.  He’d caught the look that the redhead had given his fellow Turks before leaving and it was too much of a coincidence that all three of them decided they were hungry at the same time.  He glanced at Cloud, wondering if he should take advantage of the moment and make a move on him.  The fighter was staring after the Turks as they disappeared down the hallway and while he looked puzzled, he didn’t seem to find it too suspicious.

 

_~Something tells me that if Strife’s instincts weren’t dulled with beer right now, he’d have come to the same conclusion that I have.  It’s rather obvious.  You’re getting sloppy in your scheming, Fox.  In fact, all three of you were sloppy with that display.~_

Of course, his Turks had also put away a few drinks so it was forgivable that they weren’t as stealthy as they usually were.

 

_~*********************************~_

* * *

“What’s up, Red?” Rude asked as he and Tseng stepped into the kitchen. 

 

Reno picked up a melon ball and aimed it before sending it sailing at an arc towards his partner.  Rude opened his mouth and caught it despite being buzzed and the redhead grinned at him.  “Good catch.  I was just thinking the three of us should make tracks into one of the spare rooms and give Cloud and the boss a little privacy.  You know, to work out that trust issue they’ve got.  I’m pretty sure they’ve never had any one-on-one action and I think it’d be good for both of ‘em.”

 

“I don’t know about that,” Rude said dubiously.  “They seem to get along okay when you’re in the middle of it, but if you leave ‘em alone there could be a disaster.”

 

Tseng regarded Reno thoughtfully as the redhead approached he and Rude.  “I seem to recall another scheme of his that I thought was pure madness, but our kitsune has a way of making even the most insane ideas work for him.”

 

“Oh yeah?” Reno said with interest as he closed the distance between himself and the other two men.  “What scheme was that?”

 

“You instigated the relationship between Rude and Rufus,” Tseng answered with a smile, his memories of that night making him chuckle.  “After that, I came to realize that whatever Reno wants, he gets.”

 

Rude flushed and smiled a little as he recalled the night of the “kissing lessons” too.  “You two poked and slapped me until I was ready to bust heads,” the bald man remarked.

 

Reno laughed.  “Aw, I’d better get that memory back!”  He sobered and looked at them both slyly.  “So what do ya say?  I need some action and I know just the cocks to get it from.”  He boldly reached out and squeezed each of their respective packages with each hand.

 

“Hey, watch the junk,” Rude grumbled, taken by surprise.

 

“How do you propose we excuse ourselves without offending either of them?” Tseng asked as he swatted at Reno’s groping hand.

 

Reno considered the question and grinned.  “I think I know a way.”  Without warning, he reached out and snatched Rude’s shades off of his head, while at the same time he caught hold of Tseng’s tie at the noose and somehow managed to pull it off of him without choking him.

 

“Reno, give my tie back to me this instant,” Tseng sighed.

 

“Those are my shades, man!”  Rude tried to grab them but his partner danced aside nimbly and made for the door.  “Come back here!”

 

“Gotta catch me first, partner,” Reno shot over his shoulder.

 

Rude and Tseng exchanged a look and they both shrugged.  It was a perfect excuse to chase Reno into the bedroom, after all. 

 

“After you,” Tseng said politely.

 

~******************************~

* * *

 

“I need a refresh on my drink,” Rufus said as he swirled the ice cubes around in his glass.  “And it looks as though you need another beer.”  He nodded at Cloud’s nearly empty bottle.

 

Cloud considered the beer in his hand and debated on whether he should drink another one.  He was getting too relaxed and while he was really enjoying himself, he remembered that he shouldn’t let himself go too much around Rufus. 

 

“I’m not sure,” Cloud said doubtfully.

 

“Why not?” argued Rufus, “You know you can sleep here tonight and I swear to you, I won’t touch you unless you ask for it.”  His gray eyes were steady and warm on the fighter as he spoke.

 

Cloud stared into the president’s eyes and remembered that he’d promised Reno he’d try to give the man a chance.  He shrugged.  “What the hell.  Let’s get another, then.”

 

Both men began to get out of their seats, but before they could finish standing up Reno came tearing out of the kitchen.  The redhead was brandishing a pair of shades in one hand and a tie in the other as he charged through the room to the opposite hallway.

 

“What on Gaia?” Rufus said with honest confusion.

 

Tseng came running out next and Rude was close at his heels.

 

“Cut it out, Red!  Gimme my shades back!”  Rude sounded convincingly upset and Tseng’s mouth was pressed into a grim line.  They chased Reno into the opposite hallway and there was the sound of a scuffle and a door slamming shut.  Shortly after that, Reno’s muffled yelp drifted from the closed bedroom, followed by the thump of bodies entangling together.

 

Cloud and Rufus looked at one another and wore twin expressions of amused confusion.

 

“Looks like Reno got frustrated and decided to bait them,” Cloud predicted.  “Some things just don’t change.”

 

Rufus smiled in the direction of the bedroom, where the sounds of struggle and cursing started to bleed into throaty gasps and husky encouragement.  In a way, it was such a similar occurrence to one of his fondest memories of the redhead that it made his heart swell.  “Yes,” he agreed, “some things don’t change…thank goodness.”

 

~*************************************~

* * *

 

-To be continued   


	18. Chapter 18

“Guardian”

Chapter 18

~*******************************************~

* * *

*Disclaimer:  Final Fantasy and all characters therein belong to Square-Enix.  This fiction piece is strictly a non-profit exercise of creativity and entertainment for people (like me) who can’t get enough of this world and the characters.* 

~***********************************************~

* * *

 

“I’ve actually thought about getting a dog,” Rufus said as he and Cloud went to the bar.  He looked thoughtfully at the collar and leash that the other blonde had left sitting on the counter.  The sounds coming from the bedroom Reno and the others had disappeared into grew louder and both men were momentarily distracted by the redhead’s throaty moan.

 

Cloud tore his attention away from the sounds and the mental images swimming in his head to accompany them.  He selected another beer from the mini fridge and closed it before straightening back up and turning to face the other man.  “Yeah?  What kind?”

 

Rufus poured a shot of Vodka into a cocktail shaker and glanced at Cloud sidelong.  “Oh, I don’t know.  Something that resembles a wolf.”

 

Cloud swallowed nervously, catching the insinuating reference.  Before he could start to get irate, Rufus smirked at him and winked.  Cloud rolled his eyes and shook his head, running his fingers through his spiked hair.  “You don’t know when to quit, do you?”

 

Rufus chuckled and added grapefruit juice to the mixture.  “I like the way you squirm when you get worried, Strife.”

 

Cloud sipped his beer and watched him thoughtfully as he shook his cocktail mix and salted a fresh glass.  “I never knew you had such a playful side.”

 

Rufus glanced up from his task and shrugged.  “Most people generally don’t.  I don’t think I would be taken seriously as a professional man if I clown around in public.”

 

Cloud leaned against the bar, his fingers finding the collar and leash.  He lifted the items and studied them.  “So you’ve got a lot of layers.  How many do you think I’ve peeled away?”

 

“You’ve barely gotten started,” Rufus assured him as he poured his cocktail into the glass.  He set the shaker aside and picked up the drink, raising it to Cloud.  “Here’s to you peeling away more of my layers.”

 

Cloud clinked his beer bottle against it and smiled softly.  “Here’s to me surviving doing it.”

 

Rufus smirked and took a drink from his cocktail.  He noticed Cloud eyeing the accessories that he held in his other hand and biting his lip.  When the fighter glanced at him from beneath lowered lashes, Rufus was hard-put not to laugh into his drink.

 

_~Well now, isn’t this interesting?  I could be mistaken, but it seems that Strife is entertaining thoughts about that collar.  Even influenced by alcohol, he’s too shy to speak his mind.~_

“What’s on your mind, Cloud?  You can speak freely with me,” Rufus said in the patient, persuasive tone that served him well so often. 

 

Cloud parted his lips and hesitated, his sapphire gaze dropping to the collar and leash again.  A flush stole over his fair features and he shook his head.  “It’s stupid, don’t worry about it,” he said softly.

 

Rufus lifted an elegant brow.  “Have you ever heard the saying concerning stupid questions?”

 

Cloud shook his head.

 

“There aren’t any,” Rufus finished with a smile.  “Questions lead to enlightenment, don’t they?  Therefore, how can any question—no matter how awkward—be ‘stupid’?”

 

Cloud groaned inwardly.  Sometimes he hated highly educated people.  They always made him feel like an ignorant child.  “How do you know I’ve got a question on my mind?” he challenged.

 

“The expression on your face,” answered the president simply.  “You have very expressive features and eyes, Strife.”  He leaned back against his side of the bar, casual and relaxed.  “Ask it.  The answer could surprise you.”

 

Cloud clutched the collar tighter and gathered his nerve.  What was the worst that could happen?  Rufus might scoff at him but so far the man had been friendly and polite all evening.  Deciding to just get it over with so that he could put it behind him, he looked into Rufus’s eyes and threw caution into the wind. 

 

“I’m just wondering what you’d look like in this getup,” Cloud said as casually as he could manage.  He held up the collar meaningfully and prepared to be laughed at.

 

Rufus hadn’t quite expected that.  For some odd reason, he’d expected Cloud to be curious about wearing it himself.  He looked at the collar and gathered his wits, thinking about the proposition for a moment before answering.  “Why don’t you put it on me and find out?” he said softly. 

 

He could hardly believe he was agreeing to this, but after everything he’d done to Cloud, he reasoned that it wouldn’t hurt to humor him a little and very few sexual games could frighten Rufus anymore.  If it took bottoming for Strife again to earn a bit more trust, he was prepared to do that.  Rufus typically preferred the role of seme, but he’d become more flexible over the years and now he knew that Cloud would give him pleasure no matter the role he took.

 

Cloud blinked at him, taken by surprise.  “Are you joking?” he asked suspiciously.

 

Rufus chuckled and set his drink aside.  He stepped closer to the other blonde until their bodies were only inches apart and he raised his chin a little to bare his throat.  “As I said in the restaurant, Strife; never be afraid to try new things.”

 

Cloud raised his eyebrows.  The sight of Rufus Shinra baring his neck to be collared turned him on abruptly and he shifted to hide the effect it was having on his body.  He put his beer on the counter and draped the collar and leash over one arm temporarily as he reached out and started undoing some of the top buttons of Rufus’s outfit to bare more of his throat.

 

“You wear way too many clothes,” Cloud complained as he parted the collar of the other man’s white shirt, only to find a thinner black shirt underneath.  “When you gave your toast to me ‘unpeeling your layers’ I didn’t think I’d be doing it this way.”  Rufus’s business suits were always composed of trousers, a jacket, a vest beneath that, a shirt beneath the vest and still another shirt beneath the first shirt.  How the man didn’t have a heatstroke wearing all that clothing was a mystery to Cloud.

 

Rufus smiled with amusement.  “The vest and the undershirt both serve protective purposes.  I’ve had too many people take a shot at me to not bulletproof myself a bit.”

 

“Who’s going to take a shot at you here, though?” Cloud asked with a frown.  He almost asked why Rufus hadn’t changed into something more casual after getting out of the bath, but if the glimpse of his office closet Cloud had gotten during the rescue operation was any indication, the man probably didn’t own a single piece of “casual” clothing.

 

 “It’s just habit, I suppose,” answered the president.  “It’s gotten to where I add at least one protective layer of clothing nearly every time I get dressed.  I suppose I could have just spent the rest of the night in a bathrobe or pajama pants, but I wasn’t certain how you would react to that.  You haven’t exactly given me reason to believe you’re comfortable enough around me yet for such casual informality.”

 

Cloud smirked.  “Well, seeing as I’m putting this dog collar on you, there’s probably not a reason for you to worry about that anymore.”  He put the collar around Rufus’s neck, tightening it just enough for it to be snug without discomfort.  “Uh, don’t change clothes just yet,” he added as he realized that Rufus was wearing just the sort of thing he’d pictured when he started thinking about him wearing the item.

 

Rufus gave him an intrigued, thoughtful look and Cloud’s face warmed.  He ignored his attack of embarrassment, having grown used to blushing like a teen every time he discussed sex with someone he was attracted to.  Cloud was much better at acting on his lust than he was at talking about it and he intended to do just that, even if his face ended up being scarlet for the rest of the night.  He pressed on, determined not to give himself a chance to think about what he was doing and chicken out. 

 

_~Most of the time when I’m with Reno, I just go for it and once I get started I’m too into it to get that embarrassed over the things he says.  I’ve got to do the same thing with Rufus because if I don’t, I’ll start hesitating and he might take it as an opening to turn the tables on me.  If there’s ever going to be anything more between us, I’ve got to put my damn foot down and show him I’m not one of his subordinates and it’s got to be give and take, or nothing at all.~_

He realized he wasn’t really giving the Turks much credit, though.  According to Reno, Tseng was versatile but had a preference for bottoming.  Reno himself loved to be fucked and as far as Cloud knew, Rude only topped.  It wasn’t like Rufus forced any of them to do anything they didn’t want to in the bedroom but Cloud was sure the man was aware that their status as his subordinates gave him power over them.  If Rufus wanted him as a lover, he’d have to accept that Cloud wasn’t obligated to do things his way all the time.

 

Rufus didn’t object when Cloud slipped his blazer off of his shoulders and followed up by removing his protective vest.  If the fighter could have read the president’s mind, he would have known that Rufus didn’t require for him to be stuck into one role or the other. 

 

Rufus had three other partners to choose from to satisfy whatever particular desires he wanted.  If he felt the need for a more tantric experience with a patient, gentle lover he could go to Tseng.  If he wanted to be fucked with thorough skill and feel big, strong hands on his body, he had Rude.  If he wanted to fuck a fiery, passionate lover that was willing to do a variety of things ranging from being tied up to riding his cock, he of course had Reno.  Cloud attracted him because the blonde was like a wild thing that could be coaxed into either fucking or being fucked, but never completely tamed.

 

“You’re being awfully docile about all this,” Cloud muttered as he unbuttoned the last two layers all the way and pulled the material open to bare Rufus’s chest and abdomen.  He was blushing again and he forced himself to step back and look the other man over.  Cloud shifted as his crotch swelled further in his jeans.  Rufus looked just like the mental image he’d gotten in his head…only much sexier.

 

“You’ve never actually asked me to do anything like this before,” Rufus said with one of those crooked, charming smiles.  “I told you that you might be surprised by my answer.  So, do I pull off the look you wanted, Strife?”  He schooled his face to hide the little twinge of anxiety he felt.  Ordinarily, Rufus never questioned his appeal but Cloud was so unpredictable that he couldn’t assume anything.

 

The golden-haired fighter’s stunning sapphire eyes roved over his body slowly and Rufus resisted the urge to squirm.  Those amazing eyes met his and held them.  Rufus kept his gaze steady and remained still, waiting for the response.  Suddenly, Cloud reached out and grabbed the dangling leash, winding it around his fist.  Rufus’s eyes widened and he stumbled a little as Cloud pulled him close and cupped the back of his head.  The swordsman’s mouth was abruptly hot against his in an open kiss and Rufus felt his knees buckle with a combination of relief, desire and shock.

 

_~Damn, earthquakes are easier to predict than your moods, Strife!~_

His first instinct was to struggle against the other man’s dominant hold on him and force his tongue into his mouth, but thanks to Reno and Tseng’s kissing lessons years ago, he’d learned how to control that urge and work with his sexual partners, rather than against them.  Rufus relaxed and allowed Cloud’s tongue to thrust into his mouth.  He returned the caress of the probing tongue without attempting to push it out and he slid his fingers into Cloud’s hair and permitted a whisper of a groan to rise in his throat.

 

Cloud was pleasantly surprised by the response.  He backed the other man up against the bar counter and deepened the kiss, pushing his hips against Rufus’s.  He could feel the other man’s hardening arousal pressing against his through their clothes and he groaned softly and decided it was time to see if he could move on to the next part of his fantasy.  He turned Rufus in his arms and began to back him up, away from the bar and towards the two hallways on the other side of the room.

 

“Which one leads to your bedroom?” Cloud murmured huskily as he broke the kiss temporarily.

 

“Left,” was Rufus’s breathless reply.

 

 _~So far, so good,~_ Cloud thought to himself as he continued backing the other man down the hallway. _~I wonder how he’s going to react when he finds out what I’ve got in mind?~_

Cloud knew which room was the master bedroom as soon as they reached the open door.  It was quite large, with a huge, round bed in the center and double-doors in the back leading onto the balcony.  He guided the president in and Rufus twisted a dial on the wall to turn the lights on at a dim level.  Cloud pushed him unceremoniously onto the bed.  Rufus’s soft grunt of surprise was the only sound of protest he made and he looked up at the fighter with hot, gray eyes as he got on with him.  The black satin sheets felt good against Cloud’s skin as he covered Rufus’s body with his and resumed kissing him.  He explored the president’s chest and stomach with his hands, admiring the athletic muscular tone of them. 

 

“Do you have anything nearby we could use?” Cloud murmured between kisses, hoping that Rufus understood his meaning.

 

“In the top drawer of the dresser,” answered the other blonde.

 

Cloud rolled off of him and stood up, looking around until he spotted the black lacquer dresser he was talking about.  It was next to the closet.  He crossed the room to it and pulled open the top drawer.  When he looked inside his eyes bugged out.

 

_~Holy fucking shit!  The whole thing is full of…stuff!  Is…is that a whip?~_

He almost slammed the drawer shut and tore out of there that minute, but he forced himself to calm down and find the condoms and lube.  “You actually use all of this stuff?” He asked as levelly as he could once he retrieved the desired items.  He shut the drawer and turned around to find Rufus reclining calmly on the bed and smirking at him.  Damn, he looked good lying there with his shirt hanging open and that collar around his neck!

 

“I wouldn’t have it if I never used it, Cloud.”  The president answered dryly.  He tilted his head and gazed searchingly at him.  “You aren’t going to let it frighten you away, are you?”

 

Cloud swallowed as his cheeks colored.  He fought his alarm and made himself start walking back to the bed.  “The sight of some kink fetish shit isn’t going to scare me off.”

 

“That’s good to know.  Don’t worry, the whip is a novelty item and it would take monumental force to break skin with it.”  Rufus chuckled at the look he got in response to that.  “I assumed that was what made you jump like that when you looked into the drawer.”

 

“Yeah, it did kind of surprise me.  I know you’re into toys and all but I didn’t think you’d be the kind of guy that got into beating your partners.”

 

“Nothing that leaves bruises or causes any permanent harm,” Rufus assured him.

 

“So does Reno ever…you know,” Cloud gestured at the dresser.

 

“Oh yes,” Rufus answered, “or rather, he used to.  I haven’t had the opportunity to use the contents of that drawer on him yet since his recovery.  I didn’t want to push him until I know he’s ready and willing for it.”

 

Cloud nodded, glad that the man was being considerate to Reno.  “Probably a smart idea,” he murmured.  He tossed the condom and lube to Rufus and sat down on the edge of the bed to unlace his sneakers and take them off.  He smiled a little when he glanced at the other man out the corner of his eye and saw the confusion he failed to fully mask. 

 

“Well, what are you waiting for?” Cloud asked as he pulled Rufus’s shoes off and dropped them next to his.  He turned around to face the other man and gave him an expectant look.  “Put it on.”

 

Rufus’s eyebrows shot up.  “So you want…me…to—”

 

“You’re doing the fucking, yeah,” Cloud confirmed with a crooked smirk.  “I topped last time, so it’s only fair.”  The truth was, he wanted to feel the other man inside of him but he was still too proud to just say so aloud.

 

Rufus considered reminding Cloud that he’d topped two times before that, but it was a fleeting notion.  If Strife wanted to be fucked, he sure as hell wasn’t going to argue with him.  “You’re a surprising man, Cloud,” Rufus murmured as he sat up to take his shirt off.  He tossed it carelessly across the room and started undoing his pants while Cloud pulled his t-shirt over his head and began to do the same.

 

When Cloud finished undressing and turned around, Rufus was already rolling the condom onto his erection.  He admired the ash-blonde president for a moment, thinking he looked quite good in nothing but a collar and leash.  He reached out and grabbed hold of the leash as soon as Rufus finished putting the rubber on, drawing the other man closer to kiss him.  Rufus returned the kiss passionately and he allowed the other man to guide him down on his side as Cloud stretched out beside him.  As they kissed and caressed, Rufus caught hold of the tube of lubricant and slicked his fingers up with practiced skill.

 

“Try to relax,” the president warned as he reached down and behind to locate Cloud’s sphincter.

 

Cloud nodded and nibbled his ear, doing his best to follow his advice.  It was easier said and done because residual misgivings from the first two times made him tense.  He gasped softly against Rufus’s ear as a finger breached him.

 

“That isn’t relaxed,” Rufus chuckled.  “You’re clenching, Strife.”

 

“Trying not to,” Cloud panted, grabbing the pillow under his head with one hand and holding onto Rufus’s shoulder with the other.  He took a deep breath and focused on relaxing his muscles as he exhaled.  The tactic did some good and the other man’s finger slid steadily into his body.  His shaken gasp was muffled by Rufus’s lips and the finger began to thrust and twist slowly, working the muscle to make loosen it.  It found the gland inside and rubbed it firmly, making Cloud’s breath hitch again as the jolt of sensation shot up his spine and through his cock.

 

“Y-you really…get off on…doing that, don’t you?” Cloud panted in an unsteady voice as Rufus continued tickling his prostate and making him squirm.

 

“Indeed, I do,” agreed Rufus.  He kissed along Cloud’s jaw, his tongue swiping at the soft skin as his lips made their way to his neck.  He was amazed at how smooth the fighter’s skin was.  There was no hint of stubble and he recalled that Reno stopped growing facial hair as well after the Mako poisoning.  Thank goodness it didn’t make the rest of their body hair fall out.  Rude looked great bald but he couldn’t imagine either of the other two men without a full head of hair.  He nipped at Cloud’s neck lightly and inserted a second finger into his body.

 

Cloud groaned a bit as the added intrusion stretched him more but it wasn’t uncomfortable so much as pleasurable, now.  Rufus pumped his fingers firmly and slowly, brushing against the prostate with each thrust.  Cloud reached down and curled his fingers around the president’s encased erection.  He hadn’t realized it was already lubed and he almost stopped, but decided it was too late to worry about getting the goop on his hand.  He stroked the length of it and provoked a soft murmur of pleasure from its owner.

 

Rufus appreciated the firm grip of Cloud’s hand as the fighter massaged his cock and he wondered if he should tell him to stop before it reached a point where he couldn’t hold back his orgasm.  Deciding he was enjoying it too much to stop it just yet, he murmured Cloud’s name and scissored his fingers inside.  He continued to thrust and massage until he was satisfied that the muscles were relaxed enough, and then he withdrew and disengaged Cloud’s hand from his cock.

 

“Wait here,” he murmured, kissing the fighter briefly.  He got up and crossed the room to the dresser, opening the top drawer.

 

Cloud watched him and his anxiety came back full force.  He opened his mouth to tell Rufus that there was no fucking way he was using anything on that drawer on him, but instead of pulling out a whip or some sort of devious vibrator, Rufus produced a wet wipe and cleaned off his fingers.  The president glanced up at Cloud and smiled knowingly.

 

“You look concerned, Strife.  What did you think I was going to get?”

 

Cloud looked away and mumbled something unintelligible.  Rufus returned to the bed, his amused smirk never fading.  “I’ll never use any of those things on you without your informed consent, Cloud.  I know it’s difficult for you to believe that right now, but things have changed.”  He climbed onto the bed and stretched out on his side next to the blonde, coaxing him to roll on his side as well.  When he complied, Rufus pressed flush against his back and ran his hand over his chest, gently tweaking each nipple in passing.  He kissed the blonde’s neck and explored his body for a moment as he waited for his anxiety to fade. 

 

“Are you ready for me?” Rufus murmured.

 

Cloud nodded and pressed back against him invitingly.  Rufus groaned a little at the feel of the hard, young body against his and he reached down to position his rigid cock.  He butted against the ring a couple of times in silent warning before rocking forward and easing himself in.  Cloud grabbed hold of the leash draped over his waist and he tugged on it and moaned as Rufus’s cock slid deeper and deeper into him.  When it was fully inside, Rufus withdrew and thrust again, hitting the perfect spot to make Cloud jerk and moan louder.  He began to pump deep and hard, his hand sliding down to grip Cloud’s erection and stroke it.

 

Cloud pulled Rufus’s leash firmly, drawing his head closer.  “Slower,” he panted.  “I like it best slow.”

 

Rufus was a little surprised, but he obeyed.  He slowed the speed of his motions and increased the force behind them.   The only person he could imagine Cloud discovering his preference with was Reno.  Leave it to the redhead to figure out what a man like Strife liked the most.  Rufus grunted as Cloud yanked firmly on his leash again.

 

“Not so hard,” gasped the fighter.

 

Rufus couldn’t help it, he laughed breathlessly.  “You’re quite the fussy uke, Strife.  I aim to please.”  He gentled his thrusts and he was immediately rewarded with a deep, satisfied groan from the other man.  “Mmm, I trust Reno’s been teaching you a few things.”

 

Cloud licked his lips and closed his eyes, giving some slack to the leash now that Rufus was giving him the slow, sensual fuck he’d wanted.  “Feels good,” he sighed, releasing the leash to reach up and cup the back of the president’s head.  He combed his fingers through Rufus’s hair as the other man’s lips nuzzled his shoulder and neck.

 

Rufus was floored by the unexpected behavior and he nearly stopped in his surprise.  He never would have guessed that Cloud had a side like this.  His previous experiences with the blonde led him to believe that he would be stingy with his passions when bottoming, too proud to give verbal encouragement to his partners even when it was his idea to bottom.

 

_~Reno must have really done something right, to bring this side out of him.  Or perhaps my own failure to listen to his body the other times I’ve had him was what kept him from being so uninhibited and inviting.~_

Rufus groaned as the pleasure increased and he fought his approaching climax, wanting to savor every moment of this.  He stroked the tip of Cloud’s dick and nibbled his ear, his heavy breath tickling inside the canal. 

 

“R-Rufus,” Cloud panted, rocking his hips gently to match the other man’s thrusts. 

 

“That’s it, Cloud,” Rufus gasped encouragingly.  “Let yourself go for me.  You’re fantastic, do you know that?”

 

The passionate compliment had an unexpected effect on Cloud.  A knot of heat tightened in his pelvis and he dropped his hand from the back of Rufus’s head to grab a handful of sheet as the delicious tension grew stronger and stronger.

 

_~Oh fuck…this is going to be a big one!~_

 

Cloud clenched his jaw tightly, biting back the moans he knew were going to be very, very loud.  Rufus’s gently thrusting cock bumped against his prostate each time it pushed in and the president’s skillful fondling made Cloud’s sex begin to leak precum.  The fighter couldn’t pull his thoughts together and he began to moan steady curses as the pleasure grew to unbearable heights. 

 

_~Oh god, don’t tell me I’m gonna scream!  Hold it back, hold it back…shit…feels so damned good…I can’t shut up!~_

Reno was right about Rufus; he was really good at fucking once he figured out how his partner liked it.  Cloud lost the fight to keep his voice down and he hollered raggedly as he began to climax.

 

Rufus was again shocked nearly to stillness but he instinctively kept going, so as not to spoil the young man’s mounting pleasure.  “Oh, you really are beautiful when you’re coming, Cloud,” he panted, gazing down at the other blonde’s passion-flushed profile.  He nuzzled his sweating cheek and stroked his tightening cock faster, reveling in the feel of it bucking in his hand.  It began to spit rather shocking amounts of cum and Rufus was briefly sorry he hadn’t thought to pull his satin sheets down.  Cloud’s cries and the feel of his tight passage clenching almost painfully around his dick made it worth the mess, to Rufus. 

 

“Unh…that’s it for me too,” Rufus moaned as the pleasure overcame him.  He released Cloud’s twitching sex and held him around the waist, his breath exploding from him as he gave one last, deep thrust and came inside of the other man.  His strength bled out of him with his seed and he collapsed on the bed, trembling and sweating.  Cloud was also trembling from the force of his orgasm and Rufus stroked his heaving chest and stomach lazily, sighing with satisfaction. 

 

They lay like that for a while, catching their breath and spooned against each other.  When he recovered his wits, Rufus withdrew from Cloud’s body and went to the small bathroom adjoining his room to dispose of it.  When he came back, the fighter was up and taking the satin sheets off of the bed with a look of remorse on his face.

 

“Sorry about what I did to your sheets,” Cloud mumbled with a faint blush as Rufus approached.

 

The president shrugged.  “No harm done, Cloud.  I can have them sent to the dry cleaner tomorrow.”  He took the sheets from him and carried them to the walk-in closet, where his clothes hamper was.  After depositing them in there, he searched his linen shelf for a fresh one and brought it out.  Cloud eyed the royal blue sheet as Rufus spread it over the bed. 

 

“Is all of your bedding satin?”  Cloud said.

 

Rufus looked up at him and admired his naked, tight-muscled body for a moment before returning his attention to his task.  “I find linen a bit chafing against the skin.”

 

Cloud rolled his eyes before he could stop himself and Rufus saw the action and chuckled.  “Yes, I know that to a country boy like yourself, I’m spoiled rotten.”  Rufus got back into bed and pulled the sheets up to his waist.  He smirked up at Cloud and patted the spot beside him invitingly.  “You must admit though, it feels nice against the skin.”

 

Cloud shrugged and got onto the bed with him.  “Okay, I’ll give you that.”  He lay down diagonally and put his head on Rufus’s thigh, surprising the other man so much that he stared down at him with an openly shocked expression.  Cloud couldn’t see his face and he didn’t consider that his action was unusual.  He was sated and sleepy, and he covered his mouth as he yawned.

 

Rufus stared down at the fluffy golden head resting on his thigh and he was afraid to move.  It was unlikely that he would spook Cloud if he touched him, given that he’d made such a trusting gesture, but the president know how jumpy Cloud could get around him.

 

_~Oh, just touch him, you imbecile!  The two of you just had sex.  If he were going to bolt, he’d have done it before now!~_

With that thorough, silent self-reprimand, Rufus gathered the confidence t reach down and stroke Cloud’s soft hair.  He still couldn’t quite understand how the fighter managed to make it spike the way it did without liberal application of spray or gel, but his fingers sifted easily through the golden strands.  Cloud sighed and mumbled that it felt good and Rufus smiled quietly and continued to do it.  After a while, he heard a soft snore from the fighter and he closed his eyes and allowed sleep to come to him as well.

 

~******************************~

* * *

 

Reno limped a little as he walked down the hall in his borrowed robe.  Rude had been gentle with him as always, but Tseng was really annoyed with him and he’d fucked him hard enough to make his eyes cross.  He hadn’t expected the normally calm, serene Wutaian to be that rough but evidently; Tseng was adept at taking on whatever role suited the moment.  Reno needed some aspirin and maybe even an ice pack.

 

He found the living room to be empty and he raised his eyebrows and peered down the opposite hallway suspiciously.  Shrugging, he turned back around and went into the main bathroom, searching the medicine cabinet.  He found a bottle of aspirin and whispered a soft declaration of relief as he opened it and shook out two pills.  He put them in his mouth and grabbed a cup from the dispenser to fill it with water.  After he swallowed the pills, he searched the cabinets under the sink for an ice pack, but he had no luck finding one.

 

 “Guess I’ll have to go without it,” he grumbled, wincing as he rubbed his sore behind.  He thought about returning to bed with the men that had caused the discomfort but a nagging suspicion concerning his boss and his blue-eyed lover was eating at him, so he went down the opposite hallway instead and stopped outside Rufus’s door.  He put his ear to it and frowned in concentration.  When he heard faint snoring, he knew that at least one person was asleep inside.

 

_~Did Cloud leave?  Or if I open this door, am I gonna find him in there?~_

He hated the thought of accidentally waking Rufus up but he had to know if his hopes came true.  Poking the tip of his tongue out in concentration, the redhead reached out and slowly, carefully turned the knob.  The faint click as it opened made him wince, but he didn’t stop until he could push the door open.  Thankfully, the door opened without the hinges making a whisper of protest and Reno poked his head in to look.

 

There was Rufus, lying on his back fast asleep.  The collar and leash still fastened around his neck was enough to make Reno slap a hand over his mouth to muffle the snicker that tried to escape.  If that weren’t exciting enough, Cloud Strife lay naked on his side above the sheets, with his head resting on Rufus’s thigh.

 

_~Holy shit, Cloud!  I was hoping you’d go for it but I never expected you to use the dog collar on him!  Man, I wish I could have watched this!~_

Reno could barely contain his excitement and he closed the door and hastily made his way back to the guest room that he and the others had chosen.  As soon as he opened the door, he gave his excitement an outlet.

 

“YES!”

 

Rude snorted and sat up abruptly, roused from his sleep by the redhead’s exclamation.  Tseng groaned and stirred.  “What are you hollering about, Kitsune?”  The Wutaian said crossly.

 

“It worked,” Reno explained with a grin as he climbed into bed with them.  He grimaced as his movement made his ass sting, but the discomfort was nothing compared to his elation.  “I just stopped by the boss’s room after I got my aspirin and there they were, cuddled up nice and pretty together.”

 

“How do you know they did anything more than sleep?” Rude yawned as he put an arm around the redhead.

 

“’Cause they were starkers, Rufus was wearing that dog collar he gave Cloud as a gag gift and Cloud was sleeping with his head on the boss’s thigh.  You think they _didn’t_ fuck?”

 

“Okay, they had sex,” Tseng grumbled as he reached up and grabbed Reno’s arm to yank him down onto his back.  “Go to sleep.”

 

Reno was sandwiched between the two men and he stared up at the ceiling with a smug grin on his face as they fell back to sleep on either side of him.  He absently stroked Tseng’s silken hair with one hand and caressed Rude’s arm with the other. 

 

“Damn, I’m good,” Reno whispered.  He yawned, his sleepiness catching up to him now that his excitement was fading into content.  He closed his eyes and before long, he was asleep and dreaming of Cloud and Rufus rolling around together in passion on that big bed.

 

~***************************************~

* * *

 

-To be continued

 

 


	19. Chapter 19

“Guardian”

Chapter 19

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* * *

*Disclaimer:  Final Fantasy and all characters therein belong to Square-Enix.  This fiction piece is strictly a non-profit exercise of creativity and entertainment for people (like me) who can’t get enough of this world and the characters.* 

~***********************************************~

* * *

 

Cloud suffered a bit of disorientation when he woke with the sunrise.  His first thought was that his pillow was oddly hard and strangely shaped.  His second thought was that his bed was unusually comfortable.  He opened bleary eyes and found himself in an unfamiliar, luxurious bedroom with modern style furnishings and deco.  The next thing to register with him was that he was stark naked.  He lifted his head and peered around, trying to gather his bearings.  When he realized that the “pillow” his head had been resting on was actually a thigh, he looked up the length of it and saw whom it belonged to.

 

_~Oh.  Right.  Rufus and I…last night.  That explains it.~_

Cloud’s face immediately bloomed pink as he looked at the handsome, sleeping president.  The whole encounter came rushing back and he was caught between mortification at his own behavior and amazement at how fantastic the sex had been.  Rufus was still wearing the collar and leash.  Cloud smirked before he could help himself and some cheeky little corner of his mind urged him to sneak to get his cellphone and take a snapshot.  The reminder that he’d called the shots even though he’d bottomed was comforting to him, though he still couldn’t believe he’d actually gotten up the nerve to act out a fantasy like that.

 

_~The things we can do with a little liquid courage.  It was actually kind of…liberating.  He did everything I told him to do and that surprises me.  Maybe I’m not out of my mind for giving the guy a chance.~_

He looked down at himself and swallowed, uncomfortable with his nudity.  Deciding that he should put something on before the other man woke up, Cloud sat up and carefully scooted to the edge of the bed, looking around for his clothes.  He found his underwear on the floor near Rufus’s side of the bed and he went for that first.  He barely got it pulled up over his hips before the other blonde stirred and opened his eyes.

 

“I thought Reno was exaggerating when he said you’re like a rooster,” Rufus murmured sleepily.  “Do you always rise with the sun, Strife?”

 

“Hey, you woke up too,” reminded Cloud as he found his jeans and started putting them on.

 

“I’m a light sleeper,” Rufus said.  He paused and covered his mouth with a yawn.  “I heard you moving about.”

 

“Didn’t mean to wake you,” Cloud apologized.  “Uh, is it okay if I have a shower?”

 

“Go right ahead,” Rufus answered, his gray eyes scanning him with appreciation.  “Did you bring a change of clothes?  I can’t imagine you’d want to get back into unwashed clothes after having a shower.”

 

Cloud shook his head and fetched his socks and t-shirt.  “No, but that’s okay.  I can change later at Reno’s apartment.”

 

Rufus sat up and crossed his arms over his bent knees.  “Why don’t you use one of my spare bathrobes and wash your clothes here, instead?”  He knew that Cloud wasn’t as bothered by dirt as he was but he thought it would be a waste to get his body clean, only to put on yesterday’s clothes.

 

Cloud smirked at him.  “Are you a germaphobe or something?”

 

“Not quite,” responded Rufus dryly, “I am a bigger fan of cleanliness than most, however.  I realize that not everyone has an aversion to wearing the same clothes for more than a day, but I thought I’d offer you the use of my washer and dryer, while you’re here.  I can cook breakfast while you’re doing that.”

 

“You want to make us breakfast?” Cloud asked.  He immediately began to salivate at the thought.

 

“Well, yes,” Rufus said with a puzzled look.  “You’re my guests after all, and breakfast is the most important meal of the day.”

 

“Wow,” Cloud chuckled.  “You keep surprising me.”

 

“No more than you surprised me last night, I imagine.”  Rufus’s eyes were smoky on him.

 

Cloud’s gaze was drawn to the collar still fastened around the president’s neck and he resisted the urge to conduct an encore performance.  He cleared his throat and gestured at the device.  “Um…you’re still wearing it.  Not that it doesn’t look great on you but it can’t be comfortable.”

 

Rufus sat up straight and looked down at the leash dangling from his throat.  “Actually, I’d forgotten.  But then, I’m rather used to accoutrements of this sort.”

 

Cloud’s blush returned.  “I…see.”  He should have realized, given the things he’d gotten a glimpse of in the man’s “goody drawer”. 

 

Rufus noticed his reaction and he chuckled softly, reaching up to unbuckle the collar.  “After last night, you shouldn’t be so shy.”

 

Cloud averted his gaze and mumbled gibberish under his breath.

 

~********************************~

* * *

 

Cloud had already taken his shower and put his clothes in the wash by the time Reno and the others woke up, but he didn’t start the machine right away because he thought the others might want to wash their clothes as well.  Rufus was having his shower and the fighter was in the kitchen, cleaning up the leftovers and utensils from the night before.  Tseng was also in the shower, but Reno and Rude helped Cloud clean up after they started a pot of coffee going. 

 

Cloud noticed how gingerly Reno was moving but given the way the redhead had egged his two coworkers on the night before and the sounds that had come from their room, he could guess why.  He asked him if he was okay and Reno gave him a pleased, knowing smirk and said he’d never been better.  That made Cloud wonder if the impulsive Turk had snuck a peek into Rufus’s room sometime during the night and he made a mental note to check Reno’s cellphone for pictures later on.

 

They were finished cleaning up by the time Rufus came in wearing a bathrobe.  He seemed pleasantly surprised when he found his kitchen clean and he thanked them courteously as he began selecting cooking utensils from the cabinet.  Reno poured him a cup of coffee and he also noticed the way the redhead was moving.

 

“I trust you had an interesting night?” Rufus asked as he opened the refrigerator and got out a carton of eggs.

 

“Oh yeah…real interesting,” agreed Reno with a sidelong glance at Rude.  “Say boss, you wouldn’t happen to have an icepack laying around somewhere, would ya?”

 

Rufus opened the freezer side of the refrigerator and rifled around for a moment.  He pulled out a cold gel pack and got a dishtowel out of a drawer to wrap it in.  “Usually, the first place one would look would be in the freezer,” he informed his subordinate with an amused quirk of his lips.  He handed it over to Reno, who looked a little embarrassed.

 

“Thanks, Sir.  Guess I wasn’t thinking when I looked for it last night, yo.  So, what did YOU two get up to, eh?”  He shot a sly grin at Rufus and Cloud respectively before he put the icepack down on one of the bar seats and carefully sat beside his partner at the island counter. 

 

“Don’t be coy,” Rufus snorted.  He coated a frying pan with cooking spray and set it on one of the burners.  To spare the already blushing Cloud further embarrassment, he decided to use a diversionary tactic.  “Why don’t you use the shower in my bedroom to get cleaned up, Fox?  You should have plenty of time before breakfast is ready and you can toss your clothes in the washing machine with Cloud’s.”

 

Reno thought about it.  While he would have loved to sit there and tease his lovers while the icepack did its thing on his sore nether region, a shower would be nice.  The detachable sprayer would also help with his ache.  “Thanks, I think I’ll do that.”

 

As much as he liked and desired Reno, Cloud felt relief when he left the kitchen.  He shot a subtle, thankful look at Rufus and sat down beside Rude to drink his coffee.  The president gave him a faint smile before returning his attention to his cooking preparations.  Rude was silently reading the newspaper at his side and for the first time, Cloud realized the bald man’s presence inspired comfort rather than anxiety.  It seemed that all of the Turks were growing on him and he debated silently over whether that was a good thing or not.

 

~********************************~

* * *

 

Rude took a shower when Tseng was finished in the main bathroom and after that, they sat down to a breakfast composed of omelets, sausages, homemade biscuits, cantaloupe and grapefruit slices.  Cloud was surprised to find that the omelet was his favorite part of the meal.  Rufus used fresh chives, tomatoes, mushrooms and light cheddar cheese in the mixture and his application of seasonings added the perfect touch.  Rude scarfed down his sausages first and Reno shared Cloud’s enthusiasm for the omelet.  Tseng seemed to enjoy the biscuits the most.

 

After eating breakfast, they put their clothes in the dryer and relaxed in the living room.  Rufus turned on the morning news and they watched it together while they socialized.

 

“I’ve got to go into the office today,” Tseng said when Reno suggested they all go out and do something together. 

 

“It’s Saturday!” Reno protested.  “You’re entitled to take the day off, yo.”

 

“I won’t be staying there all day long,” said the Wutaian, “I just have a few things to take care of.”

 

“It’s just as well,” Rufus said.  “I’ve got bills to go over before I do anything else today.”

 

“I’ve gotta do some grocery shopping,” Rude murmured.  “My fridge has cobwebs in it.”

 

Reno sighed.  “Bunch of killjoys.  What about you, Cloud?  Wanna catch a movie or something?”

 

Cloud hesitated.  “Well, we’re supposed to do a little training today.”  When Reno gave him an annoyed look and shifted uncomfortably on the couch, Cloud remembered that he was suffering a sore bottom and he smiled.  “I guess I can give you the day off.  Tomorrow we’ll train for an extra thirty minutes, though.”

 

“Fine,” Reno agreed.

 

“You know, you’re kind of a brat,” Cloud said.  Across from him on the easy chair, Rude nodded silently in agreement, though the bald man was smiling faintly.

 

“You know you like it,” Reno countered with a shrug.

 

His companions smiled, unable to deny his statement.  Reno was a hard man to offend and he knew damn good and well he could be a pain in the ass.  His spirited personality, looks and sensual skills made up for the trouble he often caused.

 

~*********************************~

* * *

 

“Hey, why don’t we take a cab and go get my car?” Reno suggested as they left Rufus’s apartment after getting dressed and saying their goodbyes to everyone.

 

“Why?” Cloud asked in puzzlement.  “What’s wrong with Fenrir?”

 

“Oh, nothing’s wrong with your sexy bike, Blondie,” Reno assured him.  “But my ass is too sore to straddle him and the wind messes up my hairstyle.”

 

Cloud pushed the elevator button and frowned at him.  “You weren’t worried about your hair when we drove here last night.”

 

Reno ran his fingers through his gel-fortified bangs.  “That’s because I knew we were probably gonna end up in the tub.  My hair doesn’t naturally stick up like yours does, man.  I’ve gotta work to get this look.”

 

  Cloud sighed, but he was smiling.  “If it was just your hair at stake, I’d say ‘no’.  Since your rear is bothering you I guess we could come back for Fenrir later.”

 

“Thanks, hot stuff,” Reno said.  He reached out and pinched Cloud’s denim-clad ass just as the elevator doors opened.

 

Cloud was mortified as an older couple stared at them from inside of the elevator.  By the looks on their faces, they had seen Reno pinch him and it was difficult to tell if they disapproved of it because it was public flirtation or because he and Reno were both men.  Cloud wanted to melt into the floor. 

 

Reno cleared his throat and improvised.  “I got that loose thread, man.  You’re cool.”

 

“Uh, thanks,” Cloud said awkwardly.  He kept his distance from Reno as the elderly couple stepped out and he and the Turk stepped in.  Once the doors were shut and they were alone, he rounded on him.  “Okay, from now on you don’t horse around like that in public!”

 

Reno leaned casually against the wall and grinned at him.  “We weren’t IN public, baby.  Nobody else was around when I reached for your tush.  Is it my fault the elevator doors opened at a bad time?”

 

Cloud eyed him suspiciously.  “Sometimes, I could swear you plan these things.”

 

Reno laughed.  “Right.  ‘Cause I wanted to mark my territory before that doddering old man got any ideas about macking on you.  Come on Cloud, I’ll admit I’m a schemer but I ain’t THAT bad.”

 

Cloud tried not to smile at the redhead’s colorful words but he failed.  “Just be a little more careful, all right?  I hate walking around with a red face all the time.”

 

“I like it when you blush,” Reno purred.  “It’s cute and sexy.”

 

Cloud sighed with exasperation.

 

~***********************************~

* * *

 

“So what do you want to see,” Reno asked as he drove out of his apartment building’s parking garage.  “Something with a lot of action?  A comedy?  Something gory?”

 

“I get enough action and gore in real life,” Cloud said.  “I think I could go for something funny.”

 

Reno glanced at him and smirked.  “Yo, I wasn’t expecting that from you.  All right, we’ll go for something that’ll give us a few chuckles…as long as it’s not one of those ‘romantic comedies’.”

 

“Oh, please,” Cloud grumbled.  “Tifa makes me watch those with her all the time.  You won’t get any arguments from me.  I don’t want to see anything ridiculously stupid, though.  If I want to hear fart jokes I’ll just hang out with the kids.”  

 

Reno laughed.  “Alrighty then…nothing romantic or stupid.  Hmm, that doesn’t leave us with much but I think we can swing it.”

 

They got caught in traffic halfway to the movie theater and Reno sighed and honked his horn impatiently.  “What the hell’s the holdup, here?”

 

Cloud peered ahead, leaning toward his window.  “Looks like there was a little fender bender at the traffic lights.  Maybe you could cut into that street on the left and go around.”

 

“Good idea.”  Reno turned into the aforementioned street and prepared to turn onto the one running parallel to their original trajectory.  He was distracted before he could do so, however.  Just as he paused at a stop sign, he spotted a couple arguing on the sidewalk.  He estimated them both to be in their mid to late thirties and the woman had brown hair and a familiar look about her.  He stared, his foot remaining lodged on the break.  Where had he seen that expression of hopeless fear before?  The man had a familiar look to him, too.  His unkempt beard stubble, cruel, angry expression and large, meaty frame jolted Reno’s memory.

 

The redhead lifted his shades to rest on his forehead and he watched the man accuse his partner of sleeping with some other guy.  She denied it vehemently and tried to explain that the “other man” in question was only dropping off some of her mail that had come to his house by mistake. 

 

“Sad,” Cloud commented, his sapphire eyes also on the couple.  “I’ll bet that guy knows damn good and well his wife didn’t cheat.  I’ve seen this kind of thing before…the guy’s just overly possessive and he wants to make sure she never even considers leaving him or screwing around.”

 

“I’ve seen it before too,” Reno muttered, his hands tightening on the steering wheel.  The memory of his own mother having the same argument with her boyfriend time and time again returned to him in force as he watched.

 

“It looks like this could get ugly,” Cloud predicted.  He hated to be a busybody but if the guy took a swing at his wife, he had every intention of intervening.  The few people that were passing down the back street hastily moved along when they saw the arguing couple, clearly wanting no part of it.  He looked at Reno and wondered what the Turk would say if rushed to defend the woman.  When he saw the expression on Reno’s pale face and noticed that he’d already unbuckled his safety belt, he realized he didn’t have to worry about him arguing that it wasn’t their business.

 

Reno’s blood began to pound in his ears as he watched the man grow more and more agitated.  He saw it coming just before it happened.  He saw the familiar tensing of the man’s muscles and the cruel intention in his eyes.  He was already putting the car into park and opening the door when the man hauled off and hit the woman, hard enough to make her fall to the sidewalk.  She cried out and pleaded with him to stop, in a way that suggested she knew there was more to come.  Judging by the way the man was preparing to advance on her, she was right.

 

“Reno, park the—” Cloud began, intending to tell his companion to park the car so he could intervene.  He’d barely begun to speak when the Turk put the car into park and opened his door.  Reno moved fast…very fast.  The redhead charged across the street and launched a kick at the abusive man’s head before Cloud could even get his door open.  The man staggered with surprise and pain but he didn’t get the chance to retaliate; Reno was upon him before he could get his balance and the Turk laid into him with fury that Cloud had never seen before.

 

“Let’s see how you like it, motherfucker!” shouted Reno as he pinned the guy by the throat to the wall of the nearby building.  He held him steady with one hand and laid into him with his other fist, breaking his nose with the first punch.  “You like smacking your lady around?  Does it give you a thrill to hit someone that won’t hit ya back?  Piece of shit!”

 

Reno obviously needed no help handling the guy so Cloud went to the stricken woman and crouched down beside her, putting an arm around her supportively while he checked her injury.  “You all right, ma’am?” he asked gently, wincing at the sight of the blood trickling out of the corner of her mouth.  She was crying in a hitching manner and she didn’t answer him.  Her eyes were wide and fixed on the sight of Reno pummeling her abuser.  Cloud looked up and saw that the Turk had already practically beaten the man senseless.  The abuser tried to take a couple of clumsy return swings but Reno was too fast for him. 

 

“Reno,” Cloud said hesitantly as the redhead continued to punch the man until he sagged against the wall.

 

~What can I say?  The guy deserves to get his ass kicked and what kind of person would I be if I defended a wife beater?  But Reno’s really going to town on him and I’m afraid he’s going to beat him to death if I don’t stop him.~

 

As it turned out, Cloud didn’t have to worry about Reno beating the man to death.  After he let him slide to the ground and gave him a couple of sharp kicks in the ribs, Reno looked as though he was going to stop.  Cloud’s eyes popped wide when instead, the Turk drew his gun from the concealed holster under his blazer and took aim.

 

“Say hello to all the other wifebeaters in hell when ya get there!” Reno snarled.

 

That was it; Cloud couldn’t stay silent.  He’d have beaten the snot out of the guy too if he’d made it there first but he couldn’t condone outright murder.  “Reno, stop!  That’s enough, man!”

 

Reno held the gun steady and kept his blazing tourmaline eyes on the abuser.  “You think so, Cloud?  Do ya think this waste of oxygen deserves to live?”

 

“Look,” Cloud reasoned hastily, “the guy’s a dirt bag and an abusive pig, but you can’t just blow his brains out in broad daylight!  Let the police handle him!”

 

People were gathering, staring at the spectacle.  Some watched with glee, happy that there was someone with the balls to do what they weren’t willing to do themselves.  Others were recording the incident on their cell phones and a couple of people were calling the authorities.  Cloud looked at the gathering witnesses and despaired.  Not one of them had lifted a finger to help the woman.  Not one of them had tried to intervene and now they were watching like spectators at a boxing match, taking perverse delight in the possibility that they might witness a murder.  It made him feel sick to his stomach.

 

~Maybe I shouldn’t have fucking stopped Meteor.  If this is the kind of world we live in, what’s the use?~

Reno clicked the safety off on his gun and Cloud pleaded with him again, despite the hopelessness he felt.  “Reno please…let it go.  You’re better than this.”

 

Reno finally looked at him and his expression was incredulous.  “Ya think?  Have you forgotten who the hell you’re talking to, Blondie?  ‘Let it go’, you say, but do you have any idea what’ll happen to her if I do?”  He nodded at the woman in Cloud’s arms.  “Don’t you read the papers?  Don’t you watch the fucking news?  Everyone always ‘lets it go’ when slime balls like this take it into their heads to beat their partners.  Everyone thinks it’s none of their goddamned business, even the cops!”

 

His eyes softened and they became haunted as he gazed down at the woman.  “You know what happens to ladies like her eventually, Cloud?  They wind up in body bags and the fuckers that put them there get to keep on living.  Hell, half the time they don’t even get time for it, yo.  So take your pick, Blondie…who’s it going to be?  Her?”  He jerked his chin at the woman.  “Or him?”  He looked back at the man he held at gunpoint.

 

Cloud stammered and looked at the terrified woman in his arms.  “What if we take her to a shelter or something?”

 

Reno laughed humorlessly.  “How long do ya think that’ll keep her safe, man?  He’ll find her...guys like him always do.  He’s got her nice and broken and he’ll either convince her to go back with him or he’ll find a way to kill her.” 

 

With that said, Reno took aim again but he hesitated…not because he was worried about the legal repercussions; he was a Turk and his organization had ways to get him out of trouble with the law.  He hesitated because somehow, Cloud still seemed innocent to him and he didn’t want him to see it.

 

“Get her outta here, Strife,” Reno said as he narrowed his eyes on his target.  “Take her to the hospital and leave this to me.  Neither of you need to see this.”

 

Cloud could hear sirens approaching in the distance and he swore.  Reno’s words gave him hope that he could end this madness, however.  “Reno, I’m asking you one more time.  Please, don’t do this.  Let’s take this lady to a doctor and let the police handle this guy, okay?  Please, Reno.”

 

  Reno’s aim wavered and he pressed his lips into a hard line and tried to stay focused.  He couldn’t do it, though…not with Cloud watching and pleading with him like this.  He clicked the safety of his weapon back on abruptly and swore through clenched teeth.

 

_~Damn you, Strife.  Aren’t there any limits to your do-gooding?~_

Reno replaced his gun and squatted down in front of his would-be victim.  “Hey,” he growled, slapping him smartly on his swollen face, “listen up, you sonofabitch.  My pal just saved your ass, yo.  He’s a hero, ya know?”  He grabbed the guy by the back of the head, pulling his hair painfully as he leaned closer and fixed him with a cold, level stare.  “The thing is, I’m not.  I’m giving you a pass because my friend there asked me to.  Before we go, I want you to remember one thing.  You listening?”

 

The man nodded and groaned.

 

“Good, ‘cause I’m only gonna warn you once.  You stay the hell away from her.  If she gets hurt or killed, the last face you’re ever going to see is mine and it won’t be an easy death.  See this?”  Reno deftly produced his wallet and flipped it open to show him his ID.  “You know what this means?”

 

The man’s rapidly swelling eyes widened as much as they could when he recognized the ShinRa logo and the words: “Department of Administrative Research”.  He nodded again and whimpered.  Everyone knew of the Turks and most sane people stayed out of their way.

 

“So you know I’m not pulling your leg when I tell ya I’ll cut you into kibble-sized pieces if I find out you went after your wife again, right?” Reno persisted.

 

“Y-yes,” the man slurred.

 

Reno released him roughly and stood up.  He frowned at Cloud as the blonde helped the woman to her feet.  “Don’t ever ask me to do that again, Blondie.  You’re the only person on Gaia I’d hold myself back for and honestly, you’re the only person I care about that would even ask.  Now let’s get the lady to a doctor.”

 

Cloud didn’t argue, understanding the significance of those words.  They escorted the woman to the car and drove her to the hospital.  Reno asked the woman how she was holding up and he assured her they were going to take good care of her, but other than that he was silent and grim the whole way to the hospital.  Cloud didn’t try to engage him in conversation.  He felt unreasonably guilty for stopping him from killing the abusive man. 

 

It was pretty obvious to him that domestic abuse bothered Reno on a personal level and he wondered what kind of memories had been awakened when they witnessed the man striking his wife.  They had to be terrible, to have affected Reno so strongly that he was willing to commit murder in broad daylight with several witnesses.  While the Turks had few scruples concerning assassination, Cloud seriously doubted the organization would have been pleased to find out that Reno did it in front of a crowd of onlookers. 

 

~**********************************~

* * *

 

They discovered that the woman’s name was Molly Garner and Reno checked her in to the emergency room and told them to take care of her and bill it to him.  He also arranged for some people to go and collect her belongings and move them to her sister’s house, whom she made plans to stay with.  Cloud was amazed at the amount of trouble Reno was going through to keep a woman he’d never met before safe from her husband and he again wondered what had happened in his past.

 

  Neither of them was in the mood to go to the movies after they left the hospital.  Cloud suggested that they just pick up some beer and pizza and spend a quiet night at Reno’s apartment.  The Turk agreed.  Reno was acting stiff towards him and Cloud was helpless to think of a way to rectify the situation.  He could tell that the other man resented him for interfering in what he probably saw as justice, but since Cloud had a dismal tract record with relationships before Reno, he really didn’t know what to do.

 

They rented a movie and watched it in silence as they ate their pizza and drank their beer.  Cloud kept looking sidelong at Reno and several times, he opened his mouth to say something only to close it again and shake his head.  He wasn’t the confrontational sort and he knew that when Reno was ready to talk to him about it, he would.  In fact, Cloud was confident that once the redhead decided to open his mouth it probably wouldn’t close again for a while and he was going to get more than an earful. 

 

Still, he’d never seen Reno like this.  In all the time he’d known him, Cloud had never seen Reno hold a grudge.  He’d made plenty of insults against the Turk in the past but Reno had always laughed them off.  He knew it was really bad when it got late and Reno told him he could take his bed.

 

“Where are you going to sleep?” Cloud asked.

 

“The couch,” Reno answered flatly.

 

Cloud stared at him, feeling an unwelcome pain inside with the sudden knowledge that by stopping him from killing a man, he may have instigated the beginning of the end.  It had taken both of them so long to admit their feelings for each other and allow them to grow into something more solid, but it looked like this could be the beginning of the end.

 

The thought made him as angry as it did sad.  “It’s your apartment.  I’ll take the couch tonight.”  He mentally armored himself against the disappointment and fear creeping into his heart.  If Reno wanted to end things over what happened that day, he probably wasn’t worth pining for.  Of all the things to break up a relationship over!

 

_~I was just trying to protect you, asshole!  Do you really think I stopped you for that wife-beating knuckle-dragger’s sake?~_

He wanted to shout his thoughts, wanted to grab Reno by the shoulders and yell it in his face to make him understand.  Yes, people like Molly Garner’s husband were a waste of resources.  Cloud didn’t dispute that one bit, but in his eyes it would have just brought Reno down to his level if he’d killed the man when he couldn’t defend himself, not to mention the legal ramifications he might have faced and the trouble he would doubtless have been in with his organization.  Rufus and the Turks could have pulled strings to get him out of legal trouble, but his reckless actions would have still affected his standing with them.

 

As much as he wanted to explain these things to him, Cloud wasn’t good with words.  He never had been and now he was paying for it.  Reno stared up at him from the couch and Cloud crossed his arms over his chest stubbornly.

 

“You’re my guest,” Reno said with a shrug.  “You take the bed.”

 

“The couch is fine,” Cloud insisted.  “Hell, your couch is more comfortable than my bed at home.  Are we really going to argue about this all night?”

 

Reno took a deep breath and forced his temper down.  _~At least we’d be fucking arguing about something, Strife.  I can’t take your puppy eyes anymore and now you’ve gone all wolfy again and it’s making it harder for me to figure out how to act around you!  You’re like a freakin’ roller-coaster sometimes, Blondie.~_

“Fine,” Reno finally muttered.  He stood up and went to the linen closet to grab a blanket and a pillow for the blonde.  He tossed the items at him when he came back and he avoided those piercing blue eyes.  “See you in the morning, Strife.”

 

Cloud caught the pillow and blanket and he watched Reno go down the hall to his bedroom.  He tempered the urge to go after him and confront him with difficulty.

 

_~Damn, maybe I should have just let him kill the guy.  I think I really fucked things up.~_

~*****************************~

* * *

 

-To be continued 

 


	20. Chapter 20

“Guardian”

Chapter 20

~*******************************************~

* * *

*Disclaimer:  Final Fantasy and all characters therein belong to Square-Enix.  This fiction piece is strictly a non-profit exercise of creativity and entertainment for people (like me) who can’t get enough of this world and the characters.* 

~***********************************************~

* * *

 

On Sunday, they sparred in the company gym as planned.  Reno dutifully listened to Cloud’s advice and adjusted his tactics as needed, but it wasn’t the light-hearted exercise that it usually was.  Both men were grim and moody as they worked out.  Cloud’s sour mood was caused by his own guilt and his frustration with Reno for his apparent inability to understand why he’d stopped him from murdering the abusive man.  Reno was resentful, feeling like he’d been emotionally blackmailed into letting a wife-beater go free.

 

When they finished their routine, they showered and had lunch in the cafeteria.  After that, Cloud needed to get away on his own for a while to think.  He told Reno he was going to check around the local businesses for potential clients and the redhead didn’t ask to go with.  In truth, Cloud ended up driving Fenrir out of the city and hitting the open road.  It helped to clear his head to be back in the familiar routine; just him and his motorcycle, free to roam.  He stopped at a rest station several miles outside of Junon and called Tifa to check up on her and the kids.

 

“Hey, it’s me.”  Cloud’s voice sounded dull to his own ears.

 

“I was starting to wonder if they were holding you hostage,” Tifa said teasingly.  “How are things going, Cloud?”

 

He shrugged, though she couldn’t see the motion.  “Okay, I guess.  I’m just out on the road having a break and I thought I’d see how you and the kids are doing.”

 

“We’re fine,” Tifa replied.  Concern was creeping into her voice.  “Cloud, is everything okay?  You sound a little blue.”

 

Cloud smiled a little.  Tifa knew him too well.  “It’s nothing.  Reno and I just had a little disagreement.”  His small smile faded as he reminded himself that the “little disagreement” had a reasonable chance of destroying what he and Reno had built together.  “Uh, I might be coming home sooner than I thought,” he added absently.

 

“What happened?” Tifa demanded.

 

Cloud sighed, knowing that she wouldn’t stop pressing him until he told her everything.  He explained the incident to her and described the way Reno acted afterwards.  For a little while she didn’t respond—probably because she was considering the information and working it over in her head.  Finally, she spoke.

 

“Listen, I know I’ve always worried about the two of you getting too close, but I don’t think you should let this drive you apart,” Tifa advised.  “Every couple has a fight eventually.  I mean, look at Cid and Shera!  I’ve realized something lately, Cloud: as strange as your relationship with Reno is, I know you’re crazy about each other.  It’s obvious to everybody, not just me.  You need to try to talk to him…that’s right…TALK.  I know that’s hard for you but if you don’t say something he might get the idea that you don’t care what happens.  Show him he’s worth the effort because if you don’t and the two of you break things off, you’re always going to wonder if there was something you could have done.  At least this way, you’ll know that you tried.”

 

Cloud nodded slowly and lowered his eyes.  He plucked at a loose thread on his cargo pants as he mulled over how to start a conversation about the incident with Reno.  “I know you’re right,” he agreed softly.  “I just wish I was better at this sort of thing.  Too bad I can’t borrow you to say everything I feel for me.”

 

Tifa chuckled.  “I’m good at lecturing and I really don’t think that would help right now.  Just tell him the truth, chocobo head.  If he’s as into you as I think he is, he’ll come around and meet you halfway.”

 

Cloud smiled again.  “Chocobo head” used to be one of Zack’s favorite nicknames for him and Tifa borrowed it on occasion when she thought he was being a ditz.  “Okay, I’ll try.  Say hello to Denzel and Marlene for me, okay?”

 

“I will,” Tifa answered.  “Good luck, Cloud.”

 

~*******************************************~

* * *

 

Cloud returned to Junon that evening and he called Reno to let him know he was finished with his business.  The redhead was already at his apartment with some takeout for dinner.  Cloud thought his voice sounded a little less stiff than before, but it could have been his imagination.  When he arrived at Reno’s apartment, they ate the meal of fish and chips that the Turk had brought home and Cloud noticed that his companion kept eyeing him thoughtfully.  Neither of them talked about the incident but it was encouraging to Cloud that some of the anger appeared to be fading from Reno’s vivid, blue-green eyes.

 

They slept separately again that night and both of them lay awake for a long time, staring up at the ceiling and working things over in their minds.  If either of them could have known that the other was just as upset as he was, they might have relaxed a little and felt encouraged enough to talk about it.  Unfortunately, Cloud was still mentally reviewing what he wanted to say and Reno was afraid that if he tried to explain his feelings, he’d end up yelling at the blonde and accomplishing nothing.

 

It wasn’t until Monday when everyone returned to the office that both men finally got the helping hand they needed.

 

~*****************************************~

* * *

 

“Sir, there’s something I think you should see.”

 

Rufus sighed into the phone.  “What is it, Tseng?  Please tell me it’s not another crisis.  I was just beginning to wind down.”

 

“Nothing so dire,” the Wutaian assured him.  “But it could have developed into one.  I’m emailing a link to a public video site to you.  It seems that Reno got up to some rather impulsive behavior over the weekend and several people caught the incident on video and uploaded it to this site.”

 

Rufus rubbed the bridge of his nose between his thumb and forefinger as he held the phone in place with his shoulder and opened his laptop.  “Does this impulsive behavior involve drunken behavior, nudity or violence?”

 

“Violence,” answered Tseng.  “Not that such a thing is usually inappropriate for a Turk, but he seems to have forgotten that we’re to keep it out of the public eye, for the sake of the reputation the company is trying to build.”

 

The laptop powered up and Rufus opened up the email Tseng had sent him.  He clicked on the link and his browser opened the website page.  Before the video even began to stream he understood what must have happened.  The title of the video said it all.

 

“WIFE BEATER GETS OWNED BY A TURK!!!”

 

Rufus clicked on the play button and propped his elbow on the desk to rest his chin in his hand.  “My guess is that some of Reno’s more unsavory memories of his childhood have come back to haunt him,” he said into the phone as he waited for the clip to stream.

 

“In a bad way, sir,” Tseng agreed.

 

Rufus watched as the video began to play.  It was amateur quality and the image wasn’t exactly steady, but there was no mistaking Reno or Cloud Strife.  Reno was just finishing up with beating the hell out of a man on the sidewalk and Cloud was crouched next to a woman with a bloodied mouth.  As the beaten man slumped to the pavement, Reno pulled his gun on him and got ready to fire.  Cloud immediately tried to reason with him to stop him and when it appeared he was going to fail, he began pleading softly instead.  It seemed to get through to Reno because after a few moments hesitation, he put his gun away and knelt before his victim to say something to him that the audio didn’t pick up.  The clip ended after that.

 

Rufus glanced at the comments below the clip, smirking a little at the number of them stating that the redhead should have blown the fucker’s brains out.  He immediately realized what sort of impact this encounter could have had on his company’s reputation and with that realization came awareness of how the incident might affect Reno and Cloud’s relationship with one another.

 

“Well, this is a fine mess,” Rufus muttered.  He debated over it for a moment, wondering how Reno felt about being guilt-tripped out of what he likely saw as administering well-deserved justice to an abusive man.

 

“Would you like me to take care of it, Rufus?” Tseng’s intimate use of his given name was a soothing balm on nerves stretched taut. 

 

Rufus considered the offer and shook his head.  “No, I’ll take this one.  I’d like to check on our proverbial fox and wolf myself before I speak with him, but if I’m right then there are some things I believe Reno needs to hear from me.”

 

“Of course, Koibito,” Tseng responded approvingly.  “Sometimes it takes the true master’s hand, after all.”

 

Rufus snorted.  “When it comes to Reno and Cloud, there is no true ‘master’, but I’ll settle for pretending otherwise.”

 

~************************************~

* * *

 

  Rufus watched through the reinforced glass as Cloud and Reno sparred inside the gym.  He could tell that his fox was angry and it seemed to him that Reno was barely holding himself back from turning the exercise into a real fight.  He frowned, surprised by how much it bothered him.  A few months ago he would have been pleased with the prospect of his fox’s relationship with Strife coming to a halt, but now the possibility was more disturbing than anything else.

 

_~Strife’s managed to endear himself to me, just as he did with Reno.  I’d thought I only entertained a curious infatuation with him, which should have ended as soon as I got my satisfaction.  Now I’m not willing to let him go.  It’s really a pity I can’t recruit him.~_

 Reno had an opening and Rufus tensed, sensing that the redhead was on the verge of taking it and decking Cloud good and proper.  He saw the struggle in the Turk’s pale features and having come to know Reno as well as he did, he guessed that he was thinking he’d be no better than the man he beat up yesterday if he struck his lover in anger.  Reno chose not to take the opening but he called out abruptly and said he was finished sparring for the day.  Poor Cloud looked confused and a little hurt as the Turk put his back to him and walked toward the door leading out of the gym.

 

Rufus looked at Cloud’s pretty, expressive blue eyes and made him a silent promise.  _~Don’t start howling mournfully yet, wolf.  This game isn’t finished and I’m not a man that likes to lose.  You’ll have him back soon enough, if I do this correctly.~_

As if he could hear the president’s thoughts, Cloud became aware of him and his eyes met Rufus’s through the glass.  Rufus gave him a brief smile and a nod.  Cloud cocked his head to the side in an inquisitive manner that reinforced Rufus’s impression that he was very lupine in his mannerisms.  Despite himself, the president smiled again and he almost chuckled fondly at the ridiculous innocence Cloud exuded.  Strife really was too cute for his own good at times.

 

Reno came through the door and spotted Rufus.  He paused and wiped his sweating face with the towel he’d draped around his neck.  “Hey boss,” he said uncomfortably.  “How long have you been standing there?”

 

“Long enough,” Rufus answered in a stern tone.  “When you’ve finished with your shower, I want you to come to my office.”

 

Reno looked puzzled and a little intimidated, but he didn’t argue.  “Sure thing, yo.  I’ll be up in a jiffy.”

 

Rufus nodded.  “Good.”

 

He watched Reno walk away toward the men’s showers and then he turned his attention back to Cloud—who was just walking through the gym doors.  “Hello, Strife.”  Rufus’s tone was gentler with the fighter than it had been with Reno.  He honestly felt sorry for him.  “When you’re finished cleaning up, why don’t you take advantage of the company lounge?  I’ve set up a pre-paid tab for you and you can order something from the deli and have a few drinks.”

 

Cloud stopped and gave him another curious, wolfish look.  “It’s a little early for drinking,” he began, but then he snapped his mouth shut and considered the offer.  He shrugged.  “I could make an exception today.  Thanks, Rufus.”

 

“Of course,” Rufus said with smooth courtesy.  _~Somehow I knew you would want a drink.  Reno too, I’ll bet.  The tension is visible in both of you.~_

 

“So,” Cloud said softly, averting his eyes in a bashful manner.  “Are you going to be joining me there?”

 

Rufus blinked with momentary surprise, but it only lasted until he realized that Cloud was feeling a bit vulnerable and was in need of some friendly company.  “Regrettably not.  I have too much work to do, but I doubt you’ll be drinking alone for long.  Have a good afternoon, Cloud.”

 

With that said, Rufus gave him a smile and turned in the opposite direction, walking toward the elevators.  He could feel those puzzled blue eyes resting on him and he chuckled silently.  Maybe some day, he _could_ have Cloud eating out of his hand.  That sort of trust didn’t seem as unreachable now as it did before.

 

~************************************~

* * *

 

Reno arrived in the president’s office some twenty minutes later.  His hair was freshly washed and styled, a little damp at the ends.  Rufus could smell the strawberry scent of his shampoo and he breathed it in with appreciation as the redheaded Turk approached him.  He stood up and gestured to one of the chairs in front of his desk.

 

“Have a seat, Reno.”  His tone was polite but he kept his eyes stern on his lover and subordinate.

 

Reno frowned a little and did as he was instructed, looking up at Rufus with curiosity similar to Cloud’s, his fox-like demeanor cousin to Strife’s wolfish behavior.  Rufus paused for a moment as the thought that it would be a shame for the two of them to split up reinforced itself in his mind.  They…fit…each other, different though they may be.  He shook himself out of it and turned his laptop around to face Reno.

 

“The most interesting video clip was brought to my attention, this morning,” Rufus explained at Reno’s questioning look.  He clicked on the play button at the bottom of the displayed video window and he watched the Turk’s face as it streamed for him.  Reno watched the screen and his face drained of color.  His lips pressed into a thin line and his blue-green eyes flicked from the screen to Rufus with dread.

 

“Uh, I can explain this, boss—” began the redhead.

 

“You don’t need to,” Rufus said coolly as the clip finished playing.  He closed the laptop and sat down behind his desk, eyeing his lover sternly.  “I know all about what happened to your mother and what you did to the man who was abusing her.  It was part of the reason we recruited you, after all.”

 

Reno went silent, his eyes darting about as he tried to remember his initiation into the Turks.  It didn’t really surprise him that Rufus knew about the awful memories he’d regained yesterday and the hint of compassion in his voice at the last sentence calmed the redhead somewhat.  Rufus’s next comment caused a warm ache to grow in his chest.

 

“I know you still miss your mother, even if you can’t recall every memory of her.  I admit, I still think about and miss my mother as well, from time to time.”  Rufus sighed, his stern demeanor dissolving into one of patient, tired authority.  “I understand why this incident occurred, Reno.  I know that you have personal reasons to hate domestic abusers.  You’re aware, I’m sure, that this organization has little compunction about ridding the world of troublesome people.  However, covert action is required of the Turks.  We can’t afford the publicity of public murder, fox.”

 

Reno’s expression darkened bitterly and he shrugged.  “I didn’t kill him, boss.  Strife stopped me.”

 

Rufus threaded his fingers together on top of his desk and nodded, his eyes narrowing on Reno.  “Indeed he did…and you resent him for that, don’t you?”

 

Reno shrugged again and averted his gaze.

 

“You should thank him,” Rufus finished sternly.  “In stopping you from publicly murdering that man, Cloud saved you from some serious repercussions.  Had you finished your intentions you would be sitting in jail now and the Turks would be discussing whether or not to put a mark on you.  Tseng and I have a lot of power and influence, but we aren’t miracle workers and certain protocols would have had to be recognized.  At the very least you could have lost your rank, been beaten within an inch of your life and forced to do the lowest, most demeaning work that the lowest ranking Turks are assigned.  You’ve never really seen the very bottom of the ladder, Reno.  I assure you, it wouldn’t be a pleasant way to spend the rest of your career.”

 

Reno was chilled by the president’s words but his anger still burned hotly.  “He had no right,” he growled.

 

“I disagree,” Rufus shot back with an angry look of his own.  “As your lover, he had _every_ right to protect you…even from yourself.  You seem to have the notion that Strife acted purely on those scrupulous morals of his but from what I could see, there was much more to it than that.”

 

Rufus paused and ran his fingers through his sandy hair, sighing.  He looked out the big window at the city spread out around them, his expression thoughtful.  “Cloud is inherently good, Reno.”  He looked back at the redhead and smirked dryly.  “Not a bit like you and I.  That’s what drew you to him in the first place, however—as well as myself.  While his looks are enough to make anyone’s breath catch with lust, it’s that damnable heroic streak that makes one desire more than a casual encounter.  If he were any different, I doubt you would have grown so attached to him.  Now you’re punishing both him and yourself because you can’t reconcile his nobility with your desire for vengeance.  I can hardly believe I’m about to say this, but…”

 

Rufus paused and took a deep breath, knowing that he could influence Reno’s relationship with Cloud to go either way in the next moments.  “You need to forgive him.  I don’t know for certain that you never talked to him about what happened to your mother but I find it doubtful, given his reactions to your behavior in that clip.  He probably still would have tried to stop you but if he knew what you went through, he might have been more understanding.  He might have even understood if you chose to track the fellow down later and take care of him in a more private setting.”

 

Reno listened with a frown, hating to admit that the boss was right.  He couldn’t remember if he’d ever told Cloud about Nick either but like Rufus, he got the feeling he hadn’t.  “You really think he was doing it to protect me, Sir?”

 

“Undoubtedly,” Rufus assured with a nod.  “I saw no compassion for that man in his expression.  I only saw concern for you.  There was a time not long ago when I would have relished the thought of your relationship with him ending, but I’ve come to see things in a different light, since then.  Do you remember when your mother died, Reno?”

 

The Turk swallowed hard and nodded.  “Vaguely.  I remember she was in a lot of pain and there wasn’t anything I could do for her, yo.”

 

“Do you remember Cloud being there with you?” Rufus persisted.

 

Reno stared at him with surprise and struggled to recall it.  “I…I’m not sure,” he said faintly.

 

“He was.”  Rufus smiled ruefully.  “You told me about it later.  You wouldn’t let any of your coworkers stay with you at her side, not even Rude.  You didn’t want them to see how vulnerable you were.  However, when Strife found out about it and showed up, you allowed him to stay and he was there with you to the end, giving you comfort that you wouldn’t accept from anyone else.  Does any of that sound familiar to you?”

 

An annoying lump formed in Reno’s throat as Rufus’s words dragged the memories to the surface.  He remembered those strong arms holding him and those soft lips nuzzling his cheek and forehead while he wept.  He and Cloud were still practically enemies back then, having only shared one brief encounter.  He remembered how surprised and grateful he was for the blonde’s company, and how easy it was to let himself go without worrying about how it made him look. 

 

“I…remember now,” Reno whispered, lowering his eyes to hide the tears that were threatening to surface. 

 

“He also stayed at your side the entire time you were comatose from the Mako poisoning,” Rufus informed him.  “He fed you, bathed you and talked to you.  We visited when we could but Cloud hardly left your side.  The stubborn bastard wouldn’t let me take you to a hospital—he insisted that there was nothing they could do for you that he couldn’t and he didn’t trust anyone to keep you safe and cared for…not even your own people.”

 

A hesitant smile found its way on Reno’s lips.  “Sounds like something Blondie would do.”  His anger smoldered and died slowly, to be replaced with aching fondness for the fighter.

 

Rufus smiled faintly at him.  “I want you to take these things into consideration before you decide how you want to deal with this situation.  Rival though I once was to him for your affections, even I’ve come to admit that Strife becoming a permanent part of your life has been good for you.  If it weren’t for him, we might never have found you after you fell into the Mako stream.  The very thing that poisoned you also sustained you while you were missing, but eventually you would have wasted away and died without anyone reaching you, if it weren’t for Cloud’s stubborn persistence.  The man loves you and I know you well enough to feel confident that you love him too.”

 

“What about you, boss?” Reno asked huskily, his emotions warring with his teasing tone.  His eyes searched Rufus’s and a trembling mischievous smile curved his lips.

 

Rufus moistened his lips with the tip of his tongue and hesitated.  He’d never said the words, though he was sure he’d shown Reno more than once how he felt about him.  Reno waited and Rufus struggled with his stiff sense of dignity, knowing that even though the other man was teasing him, it was past time for him to hear it said.

 

“I’ve loved you for almost as long as I’ve known you, Reno,” the president whispered, his eyes fixed on his subordinate’s.  He was surprised at how easily it came out and he continued; “I think I fell in love with you before we even had sex for the first time.  Because of that, I can empathize with Strife and I think it would be a terrible shame for you to lose someone who cares for you that much.”

 

Reno couldn’t hide his amazement.  Somehow he knew that Rufus had never actually said he loved him before and he knew how hard it was for the man to come out and say it.  He hadn’t actually expected him to, in fact.  “Really?” he asked stupidly.

 

Rufus huffed a soft laugh and nodded.  “Do you honestly think I’d have said it if it weren’t the truth?”

 

“I guess not,” Reno agreed with a little smirk.  “I love ya too, Rufus.”

 

“I know you do, Fox.”  Rufus caressed him with his eyes.  He sobered and brought the subject back to his original intent.  “Now, resuming the unresolved matter between you and Strife…I can have that wife beater taken care of, if it will help you.  You could take care of him yourself if you wish…so long as it’s done discreetly.  His wife will be safe and Cloud needn’t even know.  It’s your decision, Reno.”

 

Reno bit his lip and debated inwardly over the offer.  Finally, he sighed and shook his head.  “Nah, I’d still know and I sort of promised Cloud.  As far as he’s concerned I won’t kill the guy unless he goes after his wife again and I feel like I’ve gotta keep to that.  Just…will ya have him watched?  If he so much as breathes on her again all bets are off, but until then I’ve got this freakin’ obligation to leave him alone, yo.”

 

Rufus nodded.  “Of course.  I’d advise you not to hold yourself to any promises that might cause resentment toward Strife, however.  I understand your loyalty to him and I even admire it, but if you think you can’t let it go without jeopardizing your feelings, you should act.”

 

“As long as I know the fucker can’t get at her again I’ll be fine,” Reno assured him.  “I get what you said about Cloud.  I think I can get over it.”

 

“Good,” Rufus said pleasantly.  “Now go and find our golden wolf in the lounge and talk to him about your past…if only so that he can have a better understanding of your feelings.  Go and lick your wounds together, Fox.”

 

“You’ve gotta cut it out with the animal metaphors, boss,” Reno snorted.  “Are ya running a company or a zoo, here?”

 

“Sometimes it feels like a bit of both,” Rufus admitted with a candid smirk.

 

~***********************************~

* * *

 

Reno ordered a tropical mixed drink and scanned the lounge for a familiar head of golden hair.  He spotted Cloud at a table in one of the back corners, drinking a beer and picking absently at the fries on his plate.  It looked like he hadn’t even touched his sandwich and from Reno’s point of view he could see the frown on those tempting lips.  Strife was in full brood mode.

 

_~Shit, look what I did to ya, baby.  I hate seeing you that blue.~_

Reno approached the table stealthily and he wasn’t surprised that he was able to sneak up on Cloud without the blonde sensing him coming.  If the expression on Strife’s youthful features was any indication, he was so deep in thought that he wouldn’t have even noticed if Reno approached wearing a neon sign.  The Turk sat down across from him and Cloud finally looked up.  The sapphire eyes regarded him warily as Reno took a swallow of his drink and set it down.  Reno started to open his mouth, only to have Cloud beat him to it.

 

“I didn’t ask you to stop for his sake,” blurted the fighter in a rush.  He pressed his lips together and stared at Reno, seemingly willing him with his eyes to understand.

 

The near desperation on that handsome face and in the tone of that voice was oddly endearing to Reno and he smiled in spite of himself.  “I know, man.”

 

Cloud looked to be at a loss, obviously surprised by the redhead’s easy acceptance of his statement.  He sipped his beer and kept his eyes on Reno, visibly struggling to say more.  Reno decided to take pity on him, understanding that Cloud Strife wasn’t a talker.

 

“My real Dad died when I was just a little kid,” Reno began.  “Ma had a tough time trying to raise me on her own and after a while she started seeing this butcher.  He moved in and started getting abusive with her.”

 

Cloud gazed at him with sympathetic eyes.  “I wondered, but you never told me about this before so I wasn’t sure.”

 

Reno sighed and nodded.  “Figured as much.  Anyhow, it started off as him being kind of overbearing and jealous but eventually he started smacking her around…me too.  He threatened to kill both of us more than once.  When I was about fourteen I came home one day and he’d laid into her again.  Ma had a broken arm and he was getting ready to beat on her some more when I walked through the door.  I did the only thing I could…I beat the fucker to death with a pipe.  He would have killed her sooner or later, ya see…me too, probably.”

 

Cloud looked horrified.  “Reno, I’m sorry.  I knew it was something bad, but this…I can’t imagine what it must have been like.”

 

Reno shrugged.  “I just did what I had to do, to protect my Ma.  I went to juvie after that since I was a minor and they couldn’t prove it wasn’t self-defense.  When I got out, I started my own mechanic business and one day Rufus broke down outside of my shop.  That’s how I met him.”

 

Cloud smiled faintly.  “He told me about that.  You made a pretty big impression on him when he saw you.”

 

“Yeah?” Reno smiled crookedly.  “I can’t remember who came onto who first.  So he really did like me right away, eh?”

 

“It’s hard not to,” Cloud confessed, and he blushed.

 

Reno chuckled and reached out to squeeze the blonde’s hand.  “Thanks, Blondie.  So, are we good now?”

 

Cloud nodded, relief softening his blue eyes.  “I was always ‘good’ with you.  I just suck at saying things right.  You aren’t mad at me anymore?”

 

“No, you cute dingbat,” Reno chuckled.  “Can’t stay mad at ya for trying to take care of me.  It took a lecture from Rufus to snap me out of it, but I wasn’t really being fair with you.  All I was thinking about were my feelings, man.”

 

“Rufus lectured you?” Cloud’s eyebrows drifted upward with surprise.  “Seriously?  I’d have thought he’d be happy to see us break up.”

 

“Nah,” Reno shook his head and took another drink.  “I told ya he likes you, Cloud.  When are you gonna start believing me, huh?”

 

Cloud still looked bewildered.  “I guess now would be a good time.  I’m still so used to being at odds with him.”

 

Reno snatched a fry off of the blonde’s plate and ate it.  “So,” he said after swallowing, “what made you speak your mind in such a rush, Strife?  If I know you something had to provoke ya to do it.  You would have kept your mouth shut forever, otherwise.”  He took another drink and regarded his companion with twinkling, bright eyes.

 

“Tifa lectured me,” Cloud mumbled.

 

Reno coughed on his drink and hastily swallowed.  “Yo, we must be pretty damn good together if people are that worried about keeping us together.  I didn’t think Tifa approved of me.”

 

“She didn’t, at first,” Cloud smiled.  “I guess she saw past that though.  She told me if I never said anything it would look like I didn’t care.  I rehearsed what I wanted to say all night long last night.  It didn’t come out the way I wanted.”

 

“Hey, you said something and that’s what counts,” Reno shrugged.  “Cheers, hot stuff.”

 

~******************************~

* * *

 

When they finished in the lounge they decided to go home to Reno’s apartment.  Both men had make-up sex on their minds and both were eager to enjoy one another’s bodies.  Just when they were getting ready to walk through the doors leading to the parking garage, Cloud’s cellphone rang.  He groaned and answered it without checking the ID.

 

“Cloud?  It’s Tseng.  Would you mind coming to my office for a moment?  I was cleaning it out and I found something that I think you should have.”

 

Cloud frowned.  “What do you mean?”

 

“I’d rather show you,” Tseng answered.  “Please, it will only take a moment.  I know that you and Reno probably have plans but this is rather important.”

 

Cloud sighed.  “Okay, I’ll be up in a couple of minutes.  See you then.”  He ended the call and replaced his cell as he looked at Reno.  “Tseng wants to show me something.”

 

“Probably his wang,” Reno joked with a wink.

 

Cloud chuckled and shook his head.  “No, gutter-mind.  It sounded pretty serious.  Do you want to wait here or come with?”

 

“I’ll come with ya,” Reno said.

 

Together, they turned around and went back to the elevators.  Cloud grimaced as they stepped inside and he blew a soft breath.  Reno noticed and the redhead gave him a peculiar look.

 

“I don’t like closed-in spaces,” Cloud explained with a faint smile.  “I can handle it for a while but too much exposure starts making me jumpy.”

 

“Makes sense,” Reno said, his aqua eyes sweeping the blonde’s form.  A slow, sensual grin curved his lips.  “Want me to distract you ‘till we reach our floor?”

 

Cloud shook his head.  With his luck, the elevator would stop somewhere for someone else to get on and they’d end up giving someone an unwelcome show.  “I’ll be all right,” he said nervously.  Reno was closing the short distance between them and backing him against the wall.  “Hey, quit fooling around, Reno…this isn’t exactly a private elevator.”

 

Reno chuckled and put his hands on the blonde’s waist.  “Don’t be nervous, baby.  I’m just gonna give ya something else to think about, besides how tight it is in here.”  He pressed his lips against Cloud’s softly protesting ones and licked them delicately with his tongue, teasing and cajoling.  The fighter groaned softly and his tongue accepted the invitation and snaked out to thrust past Reno’s parted lips.  Reno moaned in response and pressed his body against Cloud’s, savoring every hard line of it. 

 

When he felt his lover’s response to his kiss in the form of a steadily hardening bulge against his hip, he pressed harder against him and whimpered with need.  He hadn’t taken nearly as much advantage of having the blonde so available to him and he thoroughly regretted it now.  Once Cloud was satisfied with his training, he’d have to return home and resume his own business.  He wasn’t going to be available to Reno’s whims anymore and that was going to suck. 

 

Thinking of how much he was going to be deprived of when the time came for Cloud to go home, Reno was sorely tempted to reach out and punch the stop button on the elevator and demand that Cloud fuck him right there.  He remembered how forceful the blonde could be when roused to the right level of desire and he wanted to experience that at least once more before he went home.

 

“Wh-whoa…hold up,” Cloud gasped as Reno cupped him between the legs and started to rub the swelling bulge under his cargo pants.  “We’ll have the rest of the day for that!”

 

Reno groaned in frustration and broke the kiss, knowing they were going to hit their floor within moments.  “Want you to fuck me hard, Blondie,” he purred wantonly before forcing himself to step away.  Cloud was staring at him with hot, predatory blue eyes and he knew he would get what he wanted as soon as they got home.

 

“Just wait long enough for us to get back to the apartment,” Cloud murmured huskily as he raked his gaze over Reno’s form.  The Turk was breathing heavily and looking particularly lascivious.  Cloud’s eyes locked onto Reno’s exposed throat and clavicle and he felt the urge to drool at the smooth V of chest revealed beneath it through the unbuttoned shirt.  “You really bring out the beast in me sometimes,” he said truthfully.

 

“Like that’s a bad thing?” replied the Turk with a suggestive wink.  The elevator stopped and he sighed with frustration.  “Hold that thought, Strife.  When we get home I want you to make me scream.”

 

Cloud swallowed and quickly un-tucked his shirt, tugging it down over his pants to try and conceal the effect that Reno’s smutty talk had on his body.  “Count on it,” he said, his voice rough with lust.  They walked out of the elevator and down the hallway to Tseng’s office.  When the secretary buzzed them in, they found the Wutaian standing by his window and staring out at the city pensively.  He turned when they came in and he walked to his desk.

 

“Thank you for coming, Cloud.”  He picked up a box resting on his desk that was roughly the size of a shoebox and he approached the blonde gravely.  “I’ve been holding onto these for a very long time and with everything that’s happened recently, I forgot that I had them.  I believe that if anyone should have them, it’s you.”

 

Cloud took the box from him and frowned with confusion.  “Shoes?”

 

Tseng smiled gently.  “No.  Open it.”

 

Cloud exchanged a shrug with Reno and took the lid off of the box.  His expression changed from mystification to dawning comprehension as he peered inside and found countless unopened letters, with the addresses written in familiar handwriting.

 

“These…these were from Aerith to…to…” he swallowed and stumbled over his words.

 

“To Zackary,” finished Tseng for him.  “Yes.  When the two of you went missing years ago, I made a promise to Aerith that I would get her letters to Zack for her if I ever managed to find him.  She knew he wasn’t dead you see, but like myself, she had no idea where he was.  Unfortunately I never succeeded in keeping my promise.  The mission to rescue you both failed and I couldn’t bring myself to destroy the letters.  You had a special bond with both of them and so when I found these locked away in a cabinet, I decided to give them to you.”

 

Cloud picked up the topmost letter and shifted his burden in his arms so that he could open it.  His fingers were shaking as he carefully liberated the folded paper from the envelope and was hit with the familiar scent of flowers.  He gulped and unfolded the paper, his eyes bright as he scanned over the text.

 

_“Dear Zack,_

_I haven’t heard from you for a long time.  I hope everything is okay??  The flowers are selling well.  I think we did a great job putting together the cart.  Yesterday, I—”_

 

Cloud abruptly stopped reading, his throat closing up with bittersweet pain.  He shook his head and folded the letter back up, gently tucking it back into its envelope.  “I can’t…read these.  They’re…they’re private.”  He put the letter back in the box and put the lid back on.  He looked at Tseng with aching, lost eyes.  “What should I do with these?”

 

“Whatever you feel is best,” Tseng suggested in a sympathetic tone.  “They’re no longer mine to keep.”

 

Cloud felt Reno’s hand rest on his shoulder comfortingly but his mind was reeling too much to respond to it.  “I think…I should send them to him,” he whispered.

 

Reno and Tseng exchanged puzzled frowns.  “Uh, Cloud,” Reno began, trying to think of a gentle way to explain to the stricken blonde that it wasn’t really possible to send mail to a ghost.

 

“I don’t want to put them in the ground, so Zack’s resting place is out,” Cloud went on absently, speaking more to himself than anyone else.  An idea formulated and he nodded.  “I know…I’ll send them back to Aerith.  She can give them to him herself.”  He turned to Reno and the Turk was more than a little concerned with his pallor and the bright, feverish sapphire eyes.  “Reno, do you mind if we finish your training later?  I’ve got to go to the Forgotten City and send these to Aerith.”

 

“Sure, Cloud,” answered Reno automatically, at a complete loss for anything useful to say.  “You sure you’re up to traveling that far right now, though?  Maybe you should give it a day or two and—”

 

“No,” Cloud interrupted with a shake of his head.  “I’ve got to get going if I want to get there before the heavy snows start to fall.  I’ll be okay.”  He gave Tseng a nod and thanked him before turning abruptly and exiting the office.

 

Reno looked from the door that Cloud had passed through to Tseng and back again, his expression uncommonly anxious.  “I’m going with him,” he announced suddenly, his lips pressed into a grim line.

 

Tseng merely nodded.  “Of course.  Take a company helicopter, Reno.  The journey will be much easier and quicker by air and I don’t think that Strife is in the emotional condition to drive right now.”

 

Reno relaxed a little.  “Thanks, boss.  I’ll call ya when we’re finished.”

 

~************************************~

* * *

 

“Blondie!  Yo, Strife…wait up!”

 

Cloud paused at the elevator doors and hastily wiped his eyes as his lover jogged down the hall to him.  “I’m sorry Reno,” he said softly as the Turk made it to his side.  “I know I promised to put your training above everything, but I have to take care of this.”

 

“Forget about that,” Reno insisted with a shake of his head.  “I’m coming with ya, man.”

 

Cloud felt a hesitant throb of relief and he became aware that he didn’t want to do this alone after all.  He’d thought about calling up Tifa to see if she wanted to go with him—after all, both Aerith and Zack had been her friends as well—but he’d changed his mind immediately.  He knew her well and he didn’t want to put her through the emotional turmoil when she’d already paid her respects and moved on. 

 

“You don’t have to do that,” he said slowly, without any real conviction.

 

Reno lifted his shades and gazed at him with earnest, vivid eyes.  “Hey, you were there for me when my Ma died.  I kinda suck at giving comfort but all the same, I want to return the favor.  You don’t need to be alone right now babe and I don’t care how tough you act about it.”

 

Cloud stared at him and the tears he’d tried to hold back welled in his eyes.  He’d stayed at the hospital with Reno for that same reason, despite the redhead’s protests.  “Are you sure?”

 

Reno swallowed a lump in his throat, caused by the sight of those beautiful eyes tearing up.  “I’m sure.  Tseng already gave me permission to take a chopper to get you safely there and back, yo.  We’ll load Fenrir up and get going right away if ya want.”  He saw the tension in the blonde’s frame and he knew instinctively what he really needed.  He hesitated for a minute, unfamiliar with the concept of simply hugging someone just to comfort them.  “Aw hell…come here, Blondie.”  He put his arms around the fighter’s waist and squeezed him.

 

Cloud hastily transferred the precious box to one hand so that it wouldn’t get crushed and he returned the embrace awkwardly, surprised by Reno’s actions.  It felt soothing and that made him ache even more.  He hugged the other man’s lithe frame more tightly and rested his chin on his shoulder as the tears steadily came and dripped down his cheeks.  Reno rubbed his back and softly encouraged him to let it out.  Now Cloud understood how Reno must have felt when he’d refused to leave him alone when his mother lay dying.

 

“Thanks,” Cloud murmured when his emotions settled down enough for him to speak.  He pulled out of the embrace and sniffed, wiping his eyes again. 

 

Reno smiled at him.  “Let’s get going, Blondie.”

 

~******************************~

* * *

 

-To be continued  


	21. Chapter 21

“Guardian”

Chapter 21

~*******************************************~

* * *

_*Disclaimer:  Final Fantasy and all characters therein belong to Square-Enix.  This fiction piece is strictly a non-profit exercise of creativity and entertainment for people (like me) who can’t get enough of this world and the characters.*_

~***********************************************~

* * *

 

They left immediately and Reno had the good sense to call up Rufus and let him know what was going on.  The president assured him that Tseng had already explained it to him and since Reno wasn’t back on active duty yet, he was free to go where he liked, when he liked.  Cloud was silent and brooding in the seat next to the redhead, the precious box resting in his lap as he watched the landscape below absently.  Reno didn’t try to say anything to him, guessing that his presence was more comforting than words right now.  After a couple of hours, Cloud drifted off to sleep.  Reno put the auto-pilot on and pulled his jacket off to drape it over the slumbering fighter.  He stroked Cloud’s hair gently and gave him a light kiss before returning to his seat.  With a sigh, he checked his headphones and turned on the radio so that he’d have something to keep him alert.

 

They touched down outside Bone Village in the dark hours of the next morning.  Reno was exhausted but he didn’t complain.  He cut the engine and reached out to shake his companion gently.

 

“We’re here, Cloud.  Wake up, man.”

 

Cloud stirred and opened his eyes sleepily, blinking in the darkness.  “What time is it?” he mumbled as he took his headphones off and stretched.

 

Reno lifted his wrist and pushed the light on his watch.  “A little after four in the morning.  You crashed a couple of hours after we left and I didn’t want to wake you up.  You wanna go into the village for some coffee first or just go straight to the Forgotten City?”

 

“Coffee sounds okay,” Cloud agreed.  He noticed that Reno was devoid of his usual blazer and he realized for the first time that it was draped over him like a blanket.  He managed a smile for the redhead and handed the item to him.  “Thanks.”

 

“No problem, babe,” Reno shrugged.  “I put a couple of thicker jackets in the back with your stuff.  I didn’t know if you had something for winter or not so I grabbed two from the gift shop while you were loading Fenrir into the chopper.”

 

“I’ve got a travel jacket in one of the compartments, but thanks,” Cloud said.  He was grateful for Reno’s presence and his consideration.  He could tell by the glossy look in the tourmaline eyes that Reno was very tired and he frowned.  “Hey, you don’t have to travel to the city of the Ancients with me.  You’ve been flying all night.”  He remembered that there wasn’t an Inn at Bone Village…only tents that could be rented.  “Uh, you have sleeping cots in the cabin, right?”

 

“Yeah, but I’ll be okay,” Reno said as he rubbed his tired eyes.  “I meant what I said, I wanna be there with ya.  It’s not that far to the Forgotten City from here and I can rest when we come back.”

 

Cloud’s thankful blue eyes were soft on him.  “I really appreciate this, Reno.”

 

The Turk waved a hand negligently.  “It’s the least I can do for ya.  Let’s go get some coffee so we can get going, yo.”

 

~**************************************~

* * *

 

The coffee in Bone Village was stale but it did the trick and energized them enough to keep going.  Reno kept his shades on despite the darkness, figuring it was better for people to think he was stoned or had a medical condition than stare at his abnormally bright eyes.  Of course, Cloud’s eyes were Mako enhanced and bright as well but the color of them made the effect more beautiful than startling.  After having their coffee and a meager breakfast of hot oatmeal, they got onto Fenrir and headed for the Forgotten City.  It was a little rough in places and at one point, they were forced to dismount and walk the cycle because the path was too steep to risk driving on.

 

Reno shivered in the cold morning air as the rising sun shed light on the ruins they were approaching.  His memories of the place were vague but he was stricken by a familiar feeling of haunting stillness as they made their way in.  The city made him think of ghosts and he felt like the tendrils of mist rising from the ground were reaching out to him.  The Turk said nothing to Cloud about how the place made him feel.  The fighter had laid a close friend to rest here and even the normally impulsive redhead had enough sense not to disrespect the dead with negative comments.

 

“It’s not much further,” Cloud assured Reno when the Turk stumbled with exhaustion.  It was safe to ride Fenrir again so he motioned to his companion.  Reno got on behind him and put his arms around his waist and Cloud started the engine and continued on.  He felt Reno rest his head against his back and he wished he could make him more comfortable.

 

He stopped the motorcycle outside a familiar, large shell house and dropped the kickstand.  “Okay, it’s just in here,” he informed his drowsy companion.  “There’s an underground spring.  Are you okay to keep going?”

 

Reno yawned and dismounted.  “Yeah, I’m good to go.  Ready when you are.”

 

Cloud got off the bike and got the box out of the compartment he’d stashed it in.  He also retrieved one of his swords just in case, sheathing it in the scabbard strapped to his back.  Reno followed him into the house and down the winding staircase to the huge, crystal lined cavern underneath.  The glow from the crystals provided plenty of light for them both to see by and Reno hung back when they reached the bottom, keeping a respectful distance so that Cloud could pay his final respects to his friends in private.  He watched silently as the blonde approached the edge of the spring and used the stepping stone bridge to reach the platform in the center, where the waters were deepest.

 

Cloud squatted at the edge of the platform and stared into the tranquil waters, where the Lifestream mingled with the fresh water.  He held the box for a moment and closed his eyes.  “I’m sorry these letters never got to him, Aerith,” he murmured.  “Maybe now you can give them to him.”  He heaved a sigh and opened his eyes again.  It was time to let go.  He gently lowered the box into the water and pushed it away, watching as it slowly sank into the depths.  His vision blurred for a moment but he smiled, feeling a bit lighter for the action. 

 

“You know, the ink’s going to run,” said a familiar voice conversationally to his right.  “How am I going to read those now?”

 

Cloud didn’t turn but he smiled wider.  “Aerith can tell you what they said, Zack.  I just wanted you both to have them.”

 

“Of course I can,” a female voice said near his left ear.  He felt a whisper-soft caress against his cheek and he closed his eyes.  “Thank you, Cloud.  You really didn’t have to, but it’s a very sweet gesture.”

 

~************************************~

* * *

 

On the bank of the spring, Reno stood bug-eyed with his shades lifted.  He shook his head slowly as he witnessed two ghostly figures materialize on either side of Cloud and speak with him. 

 

“Oh no…no fucking way,” the Turk gasped.  He rubbed his eyes and blinked, thinking it had to be sleep deprivation making him hallucinate.  Both figures were still there and he began to realize that it couldn’t be all in his head, because Cloud was calmly TALKING to both of them.  The blonde seemed to find the situation perfectly normal.

 

“This was NOT what I had in mind,” Reno muttered, taking a couple of stumbling steps backwards.

 

~***************************************~

* * *

 

Zack smiled at his old friend brightly.  “You found your friend, right?  How’s it going between you two now?”

 

Cloud looked at him and blushed.  “Yeah, he’s recovering pretty well.  He flew me here, in fact.”

 

“Are you happy?” Aerith persisted softly.

 

Cloud glanced at her and considered the question.  A slow smile curved his lips and he nodded.  “You know, I really think I am.  I…I love him.”

 

“Good,” Zack said with a nod.  “It’s about damn time you found some happiness, buddy.”  He and Aerith shared a smile and they peered over their shoulders at the same time to look at Reno.  “Wow, he hasn’t changed,” Zack said with a lift of his dark brows.  “Except his ponytail’s longer than I remember it and his eyes are Mako-tinged now.  Oh, and they’re bugging out of his head.  He looks a lot paler than I remember, too.”

 

“I think he sees us,” Aerith remarked.  She hadn’t known Reno very well but she certainly didn’t remember that terrified, wide-eyed expression being his customary look.  The blue-green eyes were fixed directly on she and Zack. 

 

~*************************************~

* * *

 

_~Okay, I’m seeing dead people and Strife’s chatting with ‘em like it’s no big deal!~_

Reno wanted to slap himself to be sure he wasn’t caught in a nightmare, but his muscles were locked into place.  As shocking as it was to see the spirits, when they both turned their heads and looked at him he thought his heart was going to stop.  They spoke to one another and Cloud slowly began to turn.  Reno cursed as he saw black spots obscuring his vision and he felt himself falling.

 

_~Goodnight, Gaia.~_

~***************************************~

* * *

 

“Cloud, you might want to check on your boy there,” Zack said with a smirk, jerking his chin in the direction of the redheaded Turk waiting on the bank.

 

Cloud began to turn around with a frown, wondering if Zack and Aerith were pulling his leg about Reno being able to see them.  He heard the thump of Reno’s body hitting the sand just as he faced the embankment and he stood up immediately with alarm as he watched his lover collapse in a sprawling heap onto his back. 

 

“Reno?”  Cloud hauled himself to his feet and leaped from stone to stone with haste, his fear for the Turk overriding his nostalgia.  “Reno!”  He reached the bank and fell to his knees beside the redhead, pulling him into his arms and shaking him.

 

“Easy, Chocobo head,” Zack advised as he materialized next to him.  “He just passed out.  I think we gave him a scare.”

 

“I don’t get it,” Cloud said as he took Reno’s shades off of his head and fanned his face with one hand.  “How could he have seen you?”

 

“He’s got a link to the Planet now,” Aerith explained.  “Mako is connected to it and I’ll bet his ordeal opened up a few extra senses.  Poor guy…it must have been a shock to see us sitting there, talking to you.”

 

“You’re sure he saw you?” Cloud asked.

 

“He was looking right at us,” Zack shrugged.  “He looked like he was ready to shit himself, too.”

 

Cloud felt a range of emotions as he tried to wake his lover up.  He was oddly comforted that someone besides him could see Aerith and Zack and he was worried about what it would do to Reno’s mental state.  “Should I talk to him about it or make something up?”  He wondered aloud.  “He was pretty tired by the time we got here so I could say he fell asleep and dreamed it, couldn’t I?”

 

“I’m sure he can handle the truth,” Aerith advised.  “He works for ShinRa after all and he’s probably seen plenty of strange things.  Maybe it affected him that way because he’s so tired.”

 

“Maybe,” Cloud said doubtfully.  “He’s still getting his memories back though, so I don’t think he’s as conditioned to weirdness as he was before the accident.”

 

“Well, we don’t want to give the guy a heart attack,” Zack said decisively.  “Maybe we should make ourselves scarce before he wakes up and sees us again.”

 

Cloud grimaced and looked from Zack to Aerith.  “You’re leaving?”

 

“You know the drill,” Zack smiled.  “We can’t stick around for long anyhow.  We just wanted to say ‘hi’ and thank you, man.”

 

“We’ll never be far away,” Aerith assured him.  “Take care of Reno, okay?  We’re just glad to see you happy, Cloud.”

 

Cloud swallowed and nodded.  “Thank you.  I still miss you both, though.”

 

Zack chuckled and reached out as if to ruffle the blonde’s hair.  His hand passed through the golden spikes, stirring them slightly but otherwise hardly affecting them.  “We’re dead, not gone.  Don’t worry about us, just enjoy your life.”

 

Cloud smiled softly and nodded, holding Reno closer to him as his friends dissolved before his eyes.

 

~*******************************~

* * *

 

Reno woke up to find himself pressed against Cloud in one of the fold-down sleeping cots in the cabin of the helicopter.  He frowned in confusion, wondering how they got there.  The last thing he remembered was seeing a couple of ghosts casually chatting with his lover in the Forgotten City.

 

“Holy shit!”  Reno struggled to sit up, his movements hampered by Cloud’s arm around him and the blanket draped over them both. 

 

Cloud’s eyes flicked open and he immediately held Reno tighter.  “Hey, you’ll fall off if you do that…this thing’s pretty narrow,” he warned as he tried to hold the redhead steady.

 

Reno was twisting around on the cot, his eyes wide and darting at every shadow.  “Where are they?  Are they still here?”  His voice held a hysterical note.

 

“It’s okay,” Cloud soothed.  “They left.  I brought you back here after you passed out.”  He held Reno firmly with one arm and stroked his hair with his free hand.  “It was just Aerith and Zack…they wouldn’t hurt you.”

 

“JUST Aerith and Zack, he says,” Reno gasped,  “Hello Strife…they’re both DEAD!  How could they…I mean…did I really see ‘em?”

 

“Yeah, you really saw them,” Cloud confirmed truthfully, keeping his voice calm to avoid alarming the redhead further.  “They still visit me once in a while.  I’m sorry they scared you but I promise it’s okay.”

 

“So I’m not crazy?” Reno asked, his struggles weakening as he stared at Cloud with huge eyes. 

 

“You’ve always been a little crazy,” Cloud smirked, “but you weren’t seeing things.  You’re the first person besides me that’s ever seen them.  Aerith said it’s because of the Mako.  You absorbed enough to get a connection to the Planet, apparently.”

 

“I don’t know how you handle it,” Reno said with a shiver.  “Sure, I remember enough about Zack to know he was a nice guy but seeing his ghost?”  He licked dry lips and shook his head. 

 

“I guess I just got used to it after a while,” Cloud murmured.  He kissed Reno on the mouth, then on the neck.  “Are you going to stop freaking out or do I need to go into town and ask for something to help you sleep?”

 

Reno returned his embrace and forced himself to relax a bit.  “I guess since it was Fair and Aerith I shouldn’t worry.  It just shocked me, is all.”  He sighed and buried his face against Cloud’s shoulder.  “I’ll try to get some sleep so I don’t crash us when we fly back to Junon.  How’d you get me all the way back here without waking me up or falling, anyhow?”

 

Cloud stroked his back in long, soothing motions and nuzzled his fiery hair.  “I tied you to Fenrir.”

 

Reno laughed suddenly, partly from amusement and partly from delirium.  “Gotta hand it to ya Blondie, you’re really inventive.  I must have been out cold, yo.”

 

“You were,” Cloud agreed with a little smile.  “It wasn’t easy because I had to slump you over the front of the seat and when I could drive, I had to sit behind you to do it.  It taught me some new riding skills, though.”  He kept rubbing the other man’s back and he felt Reno steadily relaxing against him. 

 

“Stubborn wolf,” Reno yawned, his eyes fluttering shut.  He purred with pleasure at the fighter’s soothing touch and snuggled more firmly against him.  His nerves were still frazzled but he was so exhausted that sleep only took a few moments to claim him.

 

~*********************************~

* * *

 

Reno didn’t wake up until the sun was setting and when he did, he found himself alone in the cot.  He rubbed his eyes and sat up, stretching to ease the kinks out of his muscles as he looked around the cabin for signs of Cloud.  Finding none, he frowned in confusion and swung his legs over the side of the bed.  A scent reached his nostrils and he sniffed, recognizing the smell of cooking meat.  His stomach growled and he rubbed it and stood up.  He went to the cargo hatch and opened it, sticking his head out to search his surroundings.  The air was brisk but not horribly cold yet, so he didn’t bother grabbing his jacket before climbing out of the chopper.

 

Cloud was several feet away from the aircraft, squatting by a fire he’d built.  He’d fashioned a crude spit out of wood he’d gathered from the forest and he was roasting some kind of meat over the fire.  He looked up as the redhead approached, his blue eyes examining him with concern for a moment before he smiled up at him.

 

“Feel better now?” asked the blonde.

 

“Much,” Reno agreed.  He eyed the meat curiously, wondering where it had come from.

 

“I got hungry and I figured you’d need something to eat, too,” Cloud explained as he turned the spit to cook it evenly.  “I hope you don’t mind rabbit.”

 

Reno looked at the size of the carcass and raised an eyebrow.  “That’s a rabbit?” he asked dubiously.

 

“They’re pretty damn big and vicious around here,” Cloud smirked.  “I was going to go to the village to buy something but I got jumped by one of them.  I didn’t see the point in letting it go to waste so I just picked up some seasoning from town and skinned it.”

 

Reno stared at him, suspecting a joke.  “Giant man-eating rabbits.”

 

“That’s right,” Cloud said with a solemn nod.

 

“You’re serious, aren’t you?” Reno looked around warily and reached for his gun, expecting one of the furry creatures to leap out at him.

 

“Don’t worry, they stay away from man-made things and they don’t like the scent of their own kind roasting,” Cloud assured him.  “I was in their territory when this one came at me.”

 

“Shit,” Reno sighed, hugging himself as the chill in the air started to get to him.

 

“You should go back into the helicopter and put a jacket on,” Cloud advised.  “I’ll bring the food in when it’s cooked.”

 

The Turk studied his companion with admiration.  “What would I do without ya, country boy?”

 

“Go hungry, probably,” Cloud smiled.

 

~****************************************~

* * *

 

The wild game wasn’t bad.  Cloud was experienced enough with outdoor hunting and cooking to tone down the gamey taste of the meat and Reno ate with a healthy appetite.  They wrapped what they couldn’t finish with brown paper that Cloud had purchased with the seasoning in Bone Village and they stored it in the cooling compartment on board.

 

Reno had every intention of flying them straight back to Junon after that, but he was distracted as he buckled himself into the pilot seat and glanced sidelong at his lover.  Cloud looked really, really good in his navy cargo pants and deep green, long-sleeved sweater.  Reno knew it wasn’t appropriate to start macking on the blonde so soon after he’d paid his respects to his friends, but he couldn’t help himself as he reached over to squeeze him on the knee.

 

_~We didn’t get to have our makeup sex and I’m horny.  Okay, concentrate, Reno.  The guy doesn’t need you trying to bone him right now.  Don’t be an asshole…just start the chopper up and go.~_

He said these things to himself even as he continued to knead Cloud’s leg.  The blonde paused in the action of buckling himself in and looked down at the hand that was slowly moving up his thigh and then at Reno. 

 

Reno hastily pulled his hand away and averted his eyes, squirming restlessly in his seat.  “Sorry man…that was pretty fucking rude of me.”

 

Cloud’s lips twitched and he almost laughed.  Reno was blushing faintly—a rare thing indeed.  “It’s okay,” he assured him softly.  “I’m fine now.  I feel a lot better now that I did what I came to do, you know?  You don’t have to walk on eggshells.”

 

Reno hesitated, studying him attentively for signs that he was fabricating anything just to please him.  “What do you think about waiting ‘till tomorrow to fly back, Blondie?  We could spread out some blankets and pillows in the back so we’ll have a little more room to lay down…I mean, if ya don’t mind.”

 

Cloud was bemused and enchanted by Reno’s uncharacteristic uncertainty and consideration.  Usually when the redhead wanted sex, he just persisted until he got his partner too excited to say “no”.  Even in the uncommon cases where he asked first, he used provocative language and actions to entice the object of his desire.  Cloud could honestly say this was the first time Reno had ever asked him for it without being lewd or trying to seduce him.  He never would have believed the Turk was capable of being modest or shy if he weren’t seeing it for himself right now.

 

“I don’t mind,” Cloud assured him as he took his seatbelt off and leaned over to cup the back of Reno’s head.  “I’m not in a big hurry to get back and a little reminder that I’m alive is just what I need.”  He drew the other man’s mouth to his and kissed him sensually.  Reno’s muffled groan of desire ensured him that he hadn’t misread the Turk’s intentions behind the offer.  He stroked the redhead’s tongue with his, putting all his feeling behind it.  He had closure now that he’d never quite been able to achieve before and he was ready to do as Zack and Aerith advised.  It was time to enjoy living. 

 

~***********************************~

* * *

 

A short while later they had a decent padding of blankets spread out over the floor in the cabin, as well as a couple of pillows.  The two men sank onto the makeshift bedding together and immediately began to make out.  Reno’s clever, eager hands had Cloud’s sweater unzipped and hanging open in no time, and they caressed his chest and stomach with practiced skill.  The blonde’s first action was typical because he loved Reno’s hair.  He freed the long ponytail from its confines and combed the length out with his fingers, his mouth hot and insistent against the redhead’s. 

 

Reno pulled the open sweater off of Cloud’s body and tossed it aside as he straddled the blonde’s lap.  He stroked the tight, firm muscles of Cloud’s shoulders with practiced skill before letting his hands slide down his torso to his waist.  The blonde’s fingers were quickly unbuttoning his shirt while Reno worked at the fastenings of his pants.  He felt the cool air caress his bared skin when Cloud parted the material of his shirt and his nipples hardened as a result.  Warm, calloused hands were suddenly stroking his chest, chafing the tightened buds as they explored. 

 

Cloud’s breath quickened as his lover tugged his belt free and unzipped his fly.  He remembered Reno telling him that he wanted to scream and an idea came to him.  It came as a shock to him that he’d so easily considered it, but he reminded himself that the influence of Reno and the Turks had wetted his appetite for less vanilla activities.

 

Reno was always cuffing him.

 

Reno wanted him to make him scream.

 

Cloud knew there was at least one perfectly good set of handcuffs somewhere in the pockets of the blazer he was in the middle of removing from his redheaded lover. 

 

He mentally pictured the Turk wearing nothing but his white shirt, as he had the first time they’d fucked.  He knew Reno kept his tie pocketed in his blazer and he imagined fastening it around his neck and using it as a leash.  The mental picture of having Reno leashed with his own tie and his hands cuffed behind his back made Cloud groan low in his throat.

 

“Damn, baby…I haven’t even touched it yet,” Reno chuckled breathlessly as the fighter’s vocal groan reached his ears.  He paused in amused confusion as Cloud suddenly began to dig in his blazer pockets.  “You wanna hold me at gun point or something?” Reno asked as Cloud fumbled in the pocket holding his pistol.

 

“That’s not what I’m after,” Cloud mumbled against Reno’s neck.  He nipped lightly at the skin and made the Turk gasp.  Using the brief distraction to his advantage, he fished through another inner pocket, certain that Reno kept his favorite toy in one of them.  He found a wallet and tossed it aside.  “Nope,” he muttered, trying again.  He frowned against the smooth skin he was worshipping as his fingers encountered keys, a stray coin and what felt like a button. 

 

“Nope,” Cloud grunted again as he delved into a front pocket.

 

Reno allowed him to continue searching for whatever the hell he was looking for, thoroughly amused and curious.  He paused in his seductive fondling to run his fingers through the blonde’s hair and he waited patiently.  The fighter’s digging tickled and Reno huffed a soft laugh as his fingers inadvertently goosed his ribs.

 

 “Nope,” Cloud said again, this time with a growl of frustration.  A pair of dice made it into the pile on the blankets.  He kept digging and he paused as he tugged a link of condom packets out of a breast pocket.  “Keeping those handy,” Cloud said, and then a handful of little lube packs landed next to the condoms.

 

The next try produced a miniature deck of dirty playing cards and Cloud grunted a soft curse and dropped them by the wallet and dice.  “What the hell, Reno…am I going to find a rabbit in here somewhere next?”

 

Reno opened his mouth to respond just as Cloud found something furry in one of the pockets he was searching.  It was connected to a looped link of chain and he pulled it out and stared at it with round blue eyes.  Oh, the irony. 

 

“A rabbit’s foot?!”  Cloud couldn’t contain the frustration and incredulous tone in his voice as he dangled it before Reno’s eyes. 

 

The redhead shrugged and pinched his lips, trying to control his laughter.  “They’re lucky, yo.”  He almost asked what Cloud was looking for but he was having too much fun watching his reactions as he searched through his pockets.  He stroked the blonde’s naked chest with one hand, enjoying the feel of the hard muscles under the smooth skin.  He found one of Cloud’s faint scars and he traced it with his fingers while subtly moving his other hand behind his back. 

 

Cloud sighed and dropped the paw next to the pile with the wallet before continuing his search.  He ran his tongue over Reno’s clavicle, scraping lightly with his teeth to provoke a shiver in the Turk’s body.  This time he found a rolled-up tie and he smirked a little in satisfaction and set it by the condoms and lube.  At least he’d found three of the items he was after.  He was running out of pockets though, and he still hadn’t located the damned cuffs.

 

~Maybe I should check his pants.  I know he’s always got some on him somewhere!  Where the hell else could they be?~

 

 Reno had a hunch of what his lover was searching for but he teased him for a little while longer, undulating on top of him suggestively and rubbing his straining bulge against Cloud’s.  When the blonde groaned in frustrated defeat and looked up at him, it was all Reno could do to contain his sly grin.

 

“Alright, where are the damned things?” Cloud growled.

 

“What damned things?” Reno asked innocently, tilting his head.

 

“You know what things,” Cloud muttered peevishly as he cupped the redhead’s hips and shifted restlessly beneath him.  He was aching for him, barely able to contain his lust and impatience.

 

Reno brought his other arm out from behind his back and dangled a pair of silver cuffs before Cloud’s eyes.  “These ‘damned things’?”  He purred.  The slow, sensual grin that lifted one corner of his mouth told Cloud that he’d had them sitting behind him all along.

 

“How do you DO that?” Cloud asked as he snatched the cuffs from Reno’s hand.

 

The Turk burst into laughter and kissed him.  “Instincts, man.  So I guess this means you’re not gonna let me cuff ya this time?”

 

Cloud slipped the Turk’s jacket over his shoulders and pulled it off.  “Put your hands behind your back,” he ordered.

 

“Oh-ho, I see!”  Reno smirked and did as he was told.  “So ya want me helpless, Blondie?”

 

“Something like that, yeah,” Cloud murmured as he snapped the cuffs firmly around Reno’s wrists and checked to make sure they were tight enough without hurting him.  “Besides that night with you and Rufus, I’ve never had you cuffed.  You owe me a few.”

 

“A few, eh?” Reno said in a teasing tone.  “How many times have I cuffed you, Strife?”

 

“I’ve lost count,” the fighter answered truthfully.  He kissed Reno hard then, silencing further conversation.  He felt Reno instinctively strain against the bonds he’d fastened on him and it gave him an odd little thrill.  Knowing that it wouldn’t intrigue him this way if Reno weren’t willing, he forgave himself for it and just went with his desires.  He teased a pink nipple with his fingers while reaching for the tie lying by the condoms and Reno whimpered softly into his mouth and rocked in his lap.  Cloud again marveled at the redhead’s unmatched sensuality.  No matter what role he took on, Reno was pure sex.  He caught the Turk’s bottom lip between his teeth and tugged gently before thrusting his tongue into his mouth again and Reno groaned with lust.

 

 The tie wasn’t difficult to put on.  Reno already had it looped for fast application if the need arose, so all Cloud had to do was unravel it and loosen the noose to slip it over his head.  The blonde gathered Reno’s hair in the back and pulled it through the tie before tightening the noose around his pale throat.

 

A flash of memory of Rufus doing something similar surfaced in Reno’s mind as Cloud tugged the tie around his neck and he wondered if blondes’ just had a thing for leashes.  He didn’t say anything out loud to his companion because he wasn’t sure how Cloud would react if he knew his former rival had a thing for using Reno’s tie as a leash, too.  Instead, he nibbled Cloud’s lips with submissive consent and sucked on his tongue. 

 

Now that he had the leash, shirt and cuffs the way he wanted them, Cloud eased the redhead off of his lap and laid him down on his back.  Reno winced a little and Cloud paused in the act of removing his shoes.  “You won’t be laying like that for long—only ‘till I get your shoes and pants off.  Does it hurt?”

 

“Just got a little pinch, is all,” Reno said as he shifted into a more comfortable position.  “I’m fine, baby.”

 

Cloud wasted no time, wanting to get Reno’s clothes off before the position he was laying in started to hurt.  He took his shoes and socks off first before undoing his pants and pulling them off.  As usual, the Turk was naked under his trousers.  Cloud reasoned that the redhead was just naturally opposed to wearing underwear, because memory loss or not, that was another habit that never changed—not that he was complaining.  He took a moment to gaze down at his restrained lover, his sapphire eyes intense with lust as they roved over the pale, lithe body.  He combed his fingers through the triangle of crisp hair surrounding Reno’s erection and the Turk licked his lips with anticipation and sighed. 

 

Cloud pushed Reno’s thighs apart and lowered his mouth to his jutting cock.  With a little shock, he realized he’d never given the Turk head before.  Hell, he hardly ever even got the chance to fondle him, now that he thought about it.  Reno was so aggressive when he was horny that most of the time, Cloud didn’t get the opportunity to play around.

 

_~Time to make up for that.~_

He was supremely gratified when Reno moaned his name shakenly and lifted his hips as soon as he drew his cock into his mouth.  He stroked the redhead’s thighs and pushed them further apart as he began to take him in and out of his sucking mouth, stroking with his tongue as he did so.  Reno cursed and strained, his stomach and chest heaving with his quickening breath as Cloud demonstrated his oral skills.

 

“Shit, Blondie…oh…fuck…I didn’t know you were so…unh!”  Reno panted and tossed his head, forgetting all about the discomfort of having his arms cuffed behind his back.  He was further ambushed when Cloud grabbed one of the lube packs while he was distracted by the blowjob.  Reno’s back arched of its own volition as two slick fingers slipped into his rectum.  Before the discomfort could register, they pressed against the firm lump of his gland and rubbed. 

 

“H-holy…fuckin’…Hades!”  Reno clenched his jaw and tried to buck, but Cloud’s free hand splayed over his pelvis and held him down firmly.  “Wh-why don’t I let y-you do this more often?”

 

The blonde didn’t answer verbally but he nibbled at the tender urethra opening.  Reno had experienced intense stimulation of that spot before through use of vibrating toys or manicured fingernails, but never with teeth.  It sent a jolt through him that damn near made him convulse and he bit his lip on a scream.  The pleasure was so intense it was almost painful.  Cloud’s fingers pushed against his prostate again and the hand that he was holding Reno down with slipped lower and curled around the root of his dick, squeezing it as it began to twitch in his mouth.

 

_~Oh god…oh fuck, and I thought Rufus was ruthless!  If Blondie’s done this to me before, I’m kind of starting to see why I don’t give him the chance to do it all the time.  Fucking hell…feels too damn good!  God, I’m coming but I’m not…I’m not…shit!~_

Reno’s pale skin was shining with perspiration as he struggled and tossed his head from side to side.  There was no doubt about it, he was coming but he wasn’t ejaculating.  It wasn’t quite the same thing as being denied a climax.  Cloud was keeping him from blowing his load but the orgasm was definitely happening and it went on and on.  The blonde paused the urethra stimulation to bob his head a few times, sliding his mouth soothingly over the bucking length of Reno’s sex until it started to taper off.  Just as the redhead began to catch his breath, he used his teeth again to make the cycle start anew. 

 

Reno got his wish before they even progressed to the “fucking” stage.  He was screaming incoherently and whimpering within moments, his slim body writhing under the assault of sensation.  In the back of his mind he wondered if leashing him wasn’t the only thing his two blonde lovers had in common.  Rufus used tact and vibrators while Cloud used instincts and his body, but the result was the same.  It was so good it hurt and Reno was trembling uncontrollably by the time Cloud eased his grip on his aching cock and swallowed the length of it.  Reno’s back arched again as he spurted his release down his lover’s throat. 

 

Cloud swallowed skillfully, remembering everything he’d learned about sucking a guy off—even though he couldn’t for the life of him remember where, when or from whom he’d learned these things in the first place.  When it was finished, Cloud released him from his mouth and removed his fingers from inside of him.  “You okay?” he asked as he looked down at the sweaty, flushed Turk. 

 

Reno couldn’t answer immediately.  He panted raggedly and tried to focus his vision on the fighter.  He swallowed and nodded, closing his eyes.  “That was so damn good,” he gasped.

 

Cloud allowed himself a small grin of pride.  He was still baffled with the realization that he’d never done that to Reno before and he made a mental note to do it again soon.  Right now, he wanted to be inside of him.  He scooted so that he was sitting beside Reno on the pallet and he pulled his pants down to expose himself.  Reno’s eyes immediately went to his erection and the redhead licked his lips, making Cloud swear softly as his cock twitched under the attention like it was preening or something.

 

“Don’t look at me like that, you’ll make me lose it,” growled the blonde as he reached over Reno’s prone form to grab the condoms and another packet of lube.

 

“You don’t have much self-control, do ya Blondie?” Reno winked up at him teasingly, still gasping for breath.

 

 “It’s not easy, when it comes to you,” Cloud admitted candidly as he rolled a condom over is erection and broke open a lube packet.  He gave the redhead a little smile as he applied the gel.  “Quit looking so smug.  Which one of us was screaming a minute ago?”

 

“Guilty as charged,” Reno sighed, shaking some stray bangs out of his eyes.  He struggled onto his side and then into a sitting position, eyeing Cloud with a leer.  “So am I gonna get to ride you or do ya have other plans?”

 

Cloud paused and considered him for a moment.  He’d originally planned to take him on his stomach but he realized with his hands cuffed behind his back, it would be more comfortable for Reno to ride him.  The blonde got to his knees and reached out for Reno meaningfully.  The Turk caught on and moved closer, maintaining his balance surprisingly well.  Cloud helped him to straddle his thighs and he looked up into his eyes as he caught hold of his tie with the hand he’d used to prepare him with and traced his lips with the fingers of the other.  Reno sucked the exploring fingers into his mouth and gazed back at him seductively.

 

Cloud pushed his fingers in and out of the Turk’s mouth, his breath catching with carnal need at the feel and sight of the lips sealed tightly around them.  He pulled them out and crushed his mouth against those lips, sliding his tongue in between them to fence with Reno’s.  While still holding onto the tie, Cloud reached down between his legs to grasp his cock.  Reno rose up a little so he could position himself and as soon as he had the head pressing against his entrance, the Turk sank down slowly.

 

“Ah, baby,” Reno gasped against Cloud’s mouth as he broke the kiss and drove his body down onto the other man’s sex.  He closed his eyes and tilted his head back as the hard length slid into his body.  He quivered around the intrusion for a few moments, adjusting to the thickness of it.  “Mmm,” he purred when he was fully penetrated.  He slowly licked Cloud’s lips, his breath hot and uneven against them as they parted. 

 

Cloud held himself in check and groaned softly with pleasure as Reno’s snug warmth sheathed his rigid flesh.  He loved the soft sounds of pleasure the redhead made and the way he expressed such appreciation for the feel of being penetrated.  The velvety lips caressed his softly and the moist tongue languidly stroking them until Cloud couldn’t bear it anymore and thrust his own tongue inside of Reno’s mouth.  He pushed it rhythmically in an out in a suggestive manner, making Reno moan with appreciation and begin to undulate on top of him. 

 

Cloud slid his free hand over one of the redhead’s firm ass cheeks and guided him to move faster.  He felt the muscles flexing under his hand as Reno complied and he returned the motions with thrusts of his pelvis.  With a groan of defeat, the fighter gave into his needs and bucked hard, driving himself sharply into his lover at an angle that made him break the kiss and holler raggedly. 

 

“Titan’s nutts, this is what I needed,” Reno exclaimed breathlessly as he hugged Cloud around the waist with his legs.  He bit the blonde none too gently on the shoulder, his ragged advocacy driving Cloud to further heights of lust.  Reno matched his thrusting motions, rolling his hips so that he was sliding firmly onto Cloud’s pumping cock.  His erection had returned and there was already precum beading the tip and smearing against Cloud’s stomach. 

 

Cloud pulled back to look at the Turk, wanting to see his expression.  Reno had that look on his face that was caught somewhere between pleasure and pain, while his sultry moans grew louder as they escaped from his parted lips.  He felt so fantastic around him and it had been so long since Cloud had let himself go like this, he was worried that he was going to hurt him for real if he didn’t reign in his aggression.  He growled softly and tugged on the tie around Reno’s neck, drawing him closer for a hard, demanding kiss.

 

Reno could tell by the blonde’s tension that he was fighting an inner battle and the redhead looked him in the eye and hissed, “I’m not gonna break, baby.  Fuck me harder.”

 

“Oh, damn,” Cloud groaned, his expression pained as the lusty demand increased his need.  He released Reno’s tie and cupped his hips roughly to lift him up and slam him back down hard on his stiffened sex.  The Turk’s holler of pleasure encouraged him to do it again and again until Reno was whimpering hoarsely.  Cloud stopped guiding him, trusting him to keep up the pace while he braced one hand on the floor and reached between his thighs to gripped his cock with the other.  He stroked Reno off firmly, bucking his hips hard enough to lift them both off the bedding they had spread out on the floor.  Reno moaned and started coming in Cloud’s gripping hand, his body clenching tightly around the blonde’s throbbing length.

 

“Reno,” Cloud grunted through clenched teeth as his pleasure escalated.  “Sh-Shiva, I love you!”  The breathless announcement was quickly followed by a loud, trembling groan as he followed the Turk into the bliss of climax.  Cloud embraced Reno tightly and rested his cheek against his chest, moaning as he twitched inside of him. 

 

Reno continued to rock slowly and steadily against him as he spurted his creamy seed all over both of them.  He wriggled his hips with delight at the feel of Cloud’s sex pulsing inside of him and he nuzzled his hair and moaned again. 

 

“Love you too, Blondie,” the Turk whispered hoarsely.  His voice had given out from all of the shouting he’d done but he hardly noticed.  The sound of their panting echoed inside of the helicopter’s cabin as they spiraled back down to Gaia together. 

 

When he had the wits to think about it, Cloud reached for Reno’s discarded blazer and absently rifled through the pockets again.  “Where are the keys to the cuffs?” he asked between kisses.  Reno’s hands came around from behind his back with only one cuff still fastened.  He grinned at Cloud and showed him the key he’d been holding in his palm the entire time.

 

“Had it on me already,” explained the Turk as he freed his other wrist and set the cuffs and the keys on top of his blazer.

 

Cloud shook his head and grinned, embracing the redhead lightly.  “You could be a magician with tricky skills like that.”

 

Reno chuckled and ran his fingers through his hair.  They relaxed against each other as they caught their breath. 

 

“Oh, by the way,” Reno panted in an afterthought, “My name ain’t Shiva.”

 

Cloud laughed breathlessly and brushed soft kisses over his chest.  “Like you don’t call out deity names during sex,” he muttered.  “I’m not Titan, either.”

 

“Did I shout Titan’s name?” Reno asked with surprise.

 

“Well, you hollered about his balls,” Cloud corrected, grinning up at him as the Turk brushed some sweat dampened golden strands of hair away from his eyes.

 

“Heh, I didn’t even realize I was doing that,” Reno mused.  He kissed Cloud slowly and sensually, reveling in the feel of his softening cock still inside of him.  “So where’d you learn to use your mouth like that, Strife?  More importantly, why the hell don’t I remember you doing it before?  I should have remembered something that fucking amazing, yo.”

 

“I don’t remember where I learned it,” Cloud shrugged.  “Maybe I read about it somewhere and just picked up on it.  Doesn’t matter…all I care about is that you liked it.”

 

“You don’t remember?” Reno repeated with a frown.  “Cloud, that’s a pretty amazing skill for someone to have and not remember how they learned it.  You sure you weren’t…uh…you know…”

 

“No, I’d know if it was something I was forced to do,” Cloud assured,  “I don’t think experiences like that ever go away, even if you don’t remember them.”

 

Reno grimaced, forced to agree with him.  “I get that.  So was this the first time you ever did that with me, or am I just unlucky enough to forget it?”

 

Cloud smiled and lowered his eyes modestly.  “First time,” he confirmed softly.  “You don’t really give me a lot of chances to do that, nympho.”

 

Reno laughed throatily and rubbed his back.  He winced when he felt the welts left by his fingernails scraping the pale skin.  “Sorry about scratching ya, Blondie.”

 

“I hardly noticed,” Cloud sighed, closing his eyes contentedly as he rested his cheek against Reno’s chest again.  “Can we stay like this for a little while?”

 

“Sure thing, baby,” Reno whispered as he laid his cheek on the crown of Cloud’s head.  He closed his eyes as well and enjoyed the closeness.  Somehow he drifted off to sleep and Cloud gently shook him.  Reno lifted his head and blinked.  “Ah, sorry about that, Cloud.  Felt so good I just relaxed right into sleep.”

 

Cloud smiled crookedly.  “Maybe we should get into a better position for sleeping,” he said dryly.  “We’ll both end up stiff if we stay like this all night.”

 

“Yeah,” agreed the redhead.  He shivered a little as his body heat dropped and he started to feel the effects of the cold.  “Let’s get under the covers, yo.  I can’t waste fuel and leave the engine running all night for the heater.”

 

Cloud helped him off of his lap and while Reno straightened the bedding and fetched an extra blanket for warmth, the fighter disposed of his condom and used a disposable wipe from the cockpit to clean himself up a little.  When Cloud returned, Reno was under the covers and looking up at him with a sleepy grin.  The Turk patted the spot beside him invitingly and his aqua eyes roved Cloud’s boy admiringly.  It could have been his imagination, but Cloud thought Reno’s eyes seemed slightly dimmer than usual…as if the Mako glow was fading very slowly. 

 

He smiled back at the redhead, pleased with the prospect.  He knew Reno didn’t like the way his eyes glowed and if the taint of Mako faded over time, he could stop being so insecure and go without his shades on all the time.  While Cloud did miss the soft, pretty blue-green shade of Reno’s eyes before the accident, he cared more about the Mako tint fading for the redhead’s sake.  He lay down next to him and Reno covered him up and snuggled close.  Cloud embraced him and exchanged soft kisses with him for a while before they both closed their eyes and went to sleep.

 

~***********************************~

* * *

 

-To be continued 


	22. Chapter 22

“Guardian”

Chapter 22

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* * *

_*Disclaimer:  Final Fantasy and all characters therein belong to Square-Enix.  This fiction piece is strictly a non-profit exercise of creativity and entertainment for people (like me) who can’t get enough of this world and the characters.*_

~***********************************************~

* * *

 

 

When they returned to Junon, Cloud and Reno got back to training and the fighter’s suspicions that the Mako was fading a little from his lover’s system grew.  Reno’s senses and fighting abilities were still enhanced but after another week, the glow in his eyes had visibly dimmed.  The redhead couldn’t disguise his relief at that as he began to notice it too.  He was able to look at himself in the mirror again without cringing at the unnatural brightness of his irises.

 

He kept having his checkups and the doctor announced that his body had stabilized the Mako.  He couldn’t say whether it would ever be completely expelled but he agreed that Reno’s recovery was satisfying enough for him to return to work.  Tseng put the redhead back on active duty, starting him out light at first to ease him into it. 

 

Rufus was quite pleased with the progress and relieved that Reno’s life was straightening out again.  The one thing that troubled the president that he would never allow himself to admit aloud was that Strife would be leaving soon.  He’d done what he’d set out to do and he had his own life and business to take care of.  It was unreasonable for that to disturb Rufus and he knew it.  He stood at his office window one afternoon, staring blankly at the view without truly seeing it. 

 

_~If it’s troubling me this much, surely it’s making Reno miserable.  How foolish.  It isn’t as though we’ll never see Strife again—just not as often.  Why does this bother me so much?~_

If he were more honest with himself, he might have recognized his own feelings for what they were and he might have chosen to nurture them, rather than fight them.  It had been easier to admit his feelings for his Turk lovers—especially Reno.  They belonged to him after all, even if the redhead couldn’t be completely tamed.  Cloud was another matter.  He would never belong to Rufus in any real sense of the word and because of the way the president had grown up and lived his life, he simply didn’t know how to let himself care too much for someone he couldn’t practice some control over.

 

At least, that’s what he told himself.  The problem was that while he knew he couldn’t let himself fall for Strife, nor could he bury his feelings.  Rufus sighed and went to his liquor cabinet to pour a drink.  His frustration grew and he told himself that the sooner Cloud left, the better off he was.  Obsession was fine but love was dangerous. 

 

~******************************~

* * *

 

“Do you think Rufus is acting a little off?” Cloud asked Reno one day during a sparring session.

 

The redhead blocked Cloud’s attack and considered the question.  “How do ya mean?”  He grunted with exertion as he kicked at the blonde.

 

Cloud dodged aside in the nick of time, distracted by his concerns over Rufus’s behavior.  “I mean he’s acting more like he did before all of this happened,” he tried to explain.  He rolled and came up behind his lover, catching him in a tight hold around the waist and chest.  The warmth that he’d thought was growing between him and the president had chilled and it confused and frustrated him.  “Just when I was starting to like the bastard, too,” Cloud grumbled.

 

Reno suddenly flipped the blonde over his back and to the floor.  Cloud’s breath expelled painfully and he groaned before he could stop himself.  Reno straddled him before he could recover and he smirked down at the fighter as he pinned him to the mat. 

 

“You really are worried about it, aren’t ya?” observed the Turk.  “I’ve been getting past your guard all morning.”

 

Cloud heaved a sigh.  “I just don’t understand him.  One minute he’s doing all he can to warm me up to him and the next he’s turning on the ice.  Does he do that with you guys or am I just lucky?”

 

Reno sat comfortably on top of him and straightened up, frowning as he thought over it.  He’d noticed his boss’s attitude toward Strife changing too and he thought he knew why.  “He’s too attached to you,” he reasoned.  “I’ll bet ya money that’s why he’s giving you the cold shoulder.”

 

“Hey, I wasn’t exactly thrilled about warming up to him either but I didn’t turn into an asshole about it,” grumbled Cloud.

 

“No?” Reno smirked.  “What about you calling him up to snap at him and hang up on him?  You don’t think that was acting like an asshole?”

 

Cloud flushed and averted his eyes.  “I thought he was trying to domesticate me,” he muttered.  “I apologized for it too.”

 

“Maybe you should talk to him,” Reno suggested.  “The boss ain’t good at dealing with emotions…he never has been.  You’re gonna leave us soon and I’ll bet it bothers him.”  Reno frowned and looked away, his expression revealing that it bothered him too.

 

Cloud’s eyes softened and he rested his hands on Reno’s thighs.  “You know I can’t stay here forever,” he said.

 

The Turk sighed.  “Yeah, I know.  Doesn’t make it any easier though.”  He eased off of Cloud and offered a hand to help him up.  “You should talk to him, man.”

 

Cloud took the proffered hand and stood up.  He shook his head.  “You know I suck at talking to people.  I think I should just let him be for now.  If he can’t deal with his feelings then I’d just make it worse if I tried to talk about it with him.  Besides that, I don’t want to come off like I’m begging him or something.  I’m starting to think it was all just an act for him, to get me to cooperate.”

 

Reno rolled his eyes and shook his head.  “You two are a handful, you know that?”

 

~**********************************~

* * *

 

“Hey boss, can I talk to ya for a minute or three?”

 

Rufus stopped reading the reports he was going over and looked up at the fiery head poking into his office door.  “I suppose I can spare a few minutes,” he said with a subtle smile as he motioned for Reno to come in.  “What’s on your mind, Reno?”

 

The redhead entered the office and closed the door behind him.  He approached the desk and boldly half-sat on the edge of it, looking down at his superior with contemplative blue-green eyes.  Rufus admired those eyes silently as he waited for Reno to speak.  He hadn’t realized how much he’d missed the natural color until the Mako glow began to fade from them.

 

“You don’t have to keep Strife at arm’s length, sir.  It’s a little late for you to act like he doesn’t mean anything to ya.”  Reno’s gaze was steady and unblinking on him.

 

Rufus frowned and put his paperwork aside.  “Strife doesn’t mean anything to me, Reno.  He’s not a member of this organization and while I’ve enjoyed the encounters I’ve had with him, I’m not foolish enough to believe there can be anything deeper between us.  You needn’t worry, though…I have no problem with your continuing relationship with him if that’s what concerns you.  There’s no need for you to push for more between he and I than what we have.”

 

Reno stared at the president incredulously.  “You can’t be serious.  I saw it, man…he’s not just a fuck to you!  Why the hell are you doing this?  You said yourself that you liked him!  You’re the one that convinced me to patch things up!”

 

“I did that for your good,” Rufus countered calmly.  “And yes, I like him well enough.  If I didn’t then I wouldn’t approve of your relationship with him.  That’s all I can give, Reno.  Your outbursts won’t change that and I have too much work to do to concern myself over your fantasies about Strife and I having something meaningful together.”

 

Reno sputtered and snapped his mouth shut.  His eyes flashed with frustration as he stood up.  “You’re scared,” he accused when he gathered his wits enough to speak.

 

“No, I’m practical,” corrected Rufus coolly.  “I doubt that Strife is all broken up about that.  Just enjoy your relationship with him, Reno.  Perhaps one day you’ll understand my position.”

 

“I doubt that, baby,” Reno sighed in defeat.  “But I can’t force ya to admit how you feel.”

 

“I don’t—” Rufus began with a touch of annoyance.

 

“Yeah, yeah,” Reno snorted, “Whatever, boss.  Maybe once he’s gone and you don’t see him every day you’ll figure it out.”

 

“I don’t like your impudent tone,” Rufus said in a low, dangerous voice.

 

“Well I don’t like you lying to yourself, so we’re even,” the Turk shot back.  He retreated angrily and if he had looked back and seen his lover’s expression, he would have realized he’d scored a minor victory.

 

~******************************~

* * *

 

 “Hey, where’d you go?” Cloud asked as Reno stalked into his office.  The Turk had told him he had something to take care of after they had lunch but he didn’t explain what.  The sour expression on the redhead’s face hinted that things hadn’t gone his way. 

 

“Nothing,” Reno said shortly as he plopped down on his chair behind his desk.

 

Cloud’s eyebrows furrowed.  “Uh…okay.  Look, I know you’re not happy that I’m leaving tonight but—”

 

“That ain’t it,” Reno interrupted.  He shook his head.  “Well, that ain’t all of it.  I’m just kind of moody right now.  So, have you got your stuff packed up?”

 

“Yeah,” Cloud said hesitantly.  He wondered what he did wrong this time.  “Reno, would you look at me?”

 

The tourmaline eyes obediently gazed into his and he saw the frustration in them.  Cloud sighed and closed the distance between them, leaning over the Turk’s chair to gaze at him levelly.  “I can handle Rufus freezing me out,” he murmured, “but not you.  If you’re pissed off at me I wish you’d tell me.”

 

“Fuck Rufus,” Reno grumbled.

 

Cloud’s eyes went wide and his lips rounded into a little “O” of shock.  “So that’s where you went,” he reasoned.  “What did he do to make you so mad?”

 

Reno sighed and shrugged, lowering his gaze.  “He’s just being a stubborn, stupid, arrogant, practical dumbass and I’m fed up with it.”

 

Cloud bit his lip at the tirade, almost smiling despite his confusion.  “I think I know what’s going on,” he said softly.

 

“Yeah?” Reno challenged.  “So tell me.”

 

“You talked to him about the way he’s been acting lately,” Cloud said matter-of-factly.  “You didn’t like his response and now you’re mad at him.  Reno, he and I just don’t fit and I don’t want your relationship with him taking a hit because of that, okay?  It never got the chance to turn into something I’d really miss, so don’t get worked up.”

 

Reno narrowed his eyes at him.  “You’re BOTH fucking idiots!”

 

Cloud recoiled at the frustrated howl, helpless to think of something to say that would pacify the redhead.  “Should have kept my mouth shut,” he muttered.  “I never say anything right.”

 

Reno’s anger faded and he felt guilty.  “Nah, it’s not what you said,” he assured, “It’s just…ah, forget it.  Maybe this time I just need to kick back and see what happens, yo.”

 

Cloud’s look of utter confusion made the Turk smile.  “Sorry I snapped at ya, Blondie.  I don’t want you going home thinking I’m mad at you, ‘cause I’m not.”

 

“If you say so,” Cloud sighed.

 

~************************************~

* * *

 

That evening they loaded Fenrir into Reno’s chopper and got ready to leave.  In his musings concerning Rufus and what the president said or did to make Reno angry, Cloud remembered something that he’d told himself to check for before he went home.

 

“Can I borrow your cellphone to make a call before we take off?” Cloud asked his lover.  “Mine’s out of juice.”

 

Reno dutifully produced his phone from his blazer and handed it over.  Cloud flipped it open and instead of dialing, he searched through Reno’s media folder.

 

“What are you doing?” Reno asked as he tried to snatch the phone from the blonde. 

 

Cloud leaned away from the Turk and kept the phone out of his reach as he browsed through the photos stored on the device.  He came across one of them and he sighed and gave Reno an exasperated look. 

 

“What?” Reno said, blinking innocently at him.

 

Cloud held the phone up and raised his eyebrows, displaying the snapshot of him lying naked in bed with a collared and leashed Rufus Shinra.  Instead of speaking, he shook his head sternly and prepared to delete the picture.

 

“HEY, DON’T DO THAT!”  Reno’s exclamation was so desperate that Cloud paused and looked at him with a frown.  “I mean,” continued the Turk when he realized he’d shouted hysterically, “What’s the harm, man?  It’s just a little memorabilia.  You’ve gotta admit you two looked hot together, Blondie.”

 

“Reno,” Cloud started, uncomfortable with the idea of anyone wandering around with a nude picture of him.

 

“No, come on, baby…don’t delete it,” Reno pleaded, “I promise, it’s just for my personal viewing okay?  I’m gonna miss you and we’re not going to see as much of each other after I drop you off.  Can’t ya just let me enjoy having a nice picture of my two favorite blondes together?”

 

“If this ends up on the internet—” warned Cloud with a wavering sigh.

 

 “It won’t,” Reno promised.  “It won’t!  I’ll swear it in blood right now if ya want me to.”

 

Cloud felt a lump form in his throat in response to the pained expression on Reno’s face.  The picture obviously really did mean more to the redhead than a cheap thrill.  “Okay,” the blonde said with a nod, “but you’ve got to let me take a picture of you too.”

 

Reno visibly relaxed.  “You’ve got a deal, Strife.  Where do you wanna snap it and how do ya want me?”

 

Cloud felt his face heat even as his body reacted to the implications of the Turk’s words.  “I saw an outfit in a shop window here I want you to wear,” he said.  “Let’s go pick it up before we leave.”

 

~*******************************~

* * *

 

Reno honestly didn’t know what to expect when Cloud took him to the shop he’d mentioned.  At first he was thinking of something really kinky like a leather harness or something but he dismissed the idea immediately when he considered the fighter’s more vanilla tastes.  When they walked in and Cloud picked the ensemble out and handed it to him with an expectant look in his eye, Reno smirked.

 

“Not bad, Blondie.  I’m not usually a hat guy but we’ll see how it goes.”  Reno took off his goggles and handed them to his lover before taking the outfit in the back to the changing rooms to try it on.  Cloud followed him and waited outside the booth while he removed his Turk uniform and started putting the ensemble on.

 

“You didn’t pick out a shirt to go with this, man,” Reno said through the curtain.

 

“Doesn’t need one,” Cloud answered.  He crossed his arms over his chest and imagined what Reno would look like when he came out of the dressing room.  “Oh yeah, take your hair out of that ponytail while you’re at it,” he demanded.

 

“Yessir,” Reno chuckled.  The redhead whistled softly as he changed, evidently enjoying the unexpected dress-up session.  “Okay, are ya ready for me now?”

 

“I’m ready,” Cloud said.  He stepped back so that he could have a full view. 

 

Reno pushed the curtains aside and stepped out, his eyes twinkling with fun and a sensual smile on his lips.  “So, how do I look?”

 

 Cloud stared speechlessly at him.  “Uh…” He reached up and wiped absently at his mouth, just in case he was drooling.

 

“That ain’t very helpful, Blondie,” Reno said with a mock frown.  “Do ya like it or not?”

 

Instead of answering verbally, Cloud looked around to make sure nobody was watching and he grabbed Reno and pulled him into the dressing booth.  He closed the curtains behind them and pressed the Turk against the full-length mirror before claiming his lips in an urgent kiss.  Reno chuckled into his mouth and squeezed his ass, happy with the response.

 

~**************************~

* * *

 

Cloud pried himself off of Reno with effort, forcing his arousal down enough to pay for the outfit and get back to the helicopter.  As soon as they were in the air, he told Reno to put the autopilot on and pulled the Turk into his lap.  Before long he had Reno’s new pants off and his own jeans yanked down.  It didn’t take much effort to convince the redhead to ride him and they coupled frantically, unmindful that they were thousands of feet in the sky.

 

When they touched down outside Edge, they kissed for several minutes before reluctantly pulling away from one another so that Cloud could get Fenrir from the cargo hold and go.  Before he did that, he took several pictures of Reno in the new outfit he’d bought for him.  It was expensive but the look was such sheer perfection on the redhead that it was worth every gil to the fighter.

 

“Why don’t you wear it for Rufus when you get back?” Cloud suggested with a slow, admiring scan of the Turk’s body as he straddled his bike.  “If there’s something you’re trying to convince him to do, he’ll have a harder time resisting with you wearing that.”

 

Reno smiled slowly at the blonde.  “So you’re not ready to give up just yet, eh?”

 

Cloud shrugged.  “You know him better than I do.  I’ll play it by ear and if you think there’s something there, I won’t shove him away, that’s all.”

 

“Gotcha,” Reno nodded.  He gave the fighter one last, lingering glance and sighed.  “I’ll call ya when I get back to Junon.  Take care of yourself, Goldilocks.”

 

“Same to you,” Cloud smiled.  He started Fenrir up and drove away, regretful that he couldn’t stay with Reno but content with the knowledge that they could arrange to visit each other whenever they liked.

 

~*********************************~

* * *

 

Rufus was just getting ready to call it a day and lock up when his office door opened.  He looked up from the laptop computer he’d just been closing and it took his brain a moment to register what he was seeing.

 

“Reno?” He didn’t recognize his own voice.

 

Reno was wearing a black fedora hat and his fiery locks spilled loose around his shoulders and down his back.  His long-muscled legs were encased in dark brown dress pants.  He wore a matching brown two-button blazer that opened in a V and exposed his chest and torso to the navel.  He wore no shirt underneath the jacket and a pair of black suede shoes completed the outfit.

 

“Dear gods,” Rufus murmured stupidly as his subordinate crossed the room and circled his desk. 

 

“You like it?” Reno asked with a crooked smile.  “I think the hat makes me look like a pimp, but Cloud didn’t seem to think so.  What do ya think about how he dressed me up, boss?”

 

Rufus swallowed.  “Strife picked this out for you?”

 

“Mmm-hmm,” Reno nodded.  He squeezed in and leaned against the edge of Rufus’s desk, looking him in the eye as he waited for his opinion.

 

“Well, Cloud has a surprisingly great eye for picking out fashion for you,” Rufus said with passionate sincerity.  His trousers were already tenting severely at the crotch and he started to reach out for the redhead, only to have Reno pull away.

 

“Nuh-uh,” Reno purred.  “No touching…not yet, anyhow.  First I want ya to come clean with me, boss.”

 

“About?” Rufus prompted, his gray eyes helplessly roving over the sinfully gorgeous creature that tempted him.

 

Reno reached up and began unbuttoning the blonde’s suite.  His fingers skimmed teasingly over Rufus’s throat and he smiled when the man’s gray eyes blazed with smoky passion.  “Were you just using my boy Cloud, or was that heat between the two of you real?”

 

Rufus pressed his lips together and struggled inwardly.  “Why is this so important to you, Reno?”

 

“’Cause you’re important to me, and so is he,” the redhead answered without hesitation.  He leaned in and nuzzled the president’s throat with his lips, making him groan softly with desire.  “No more games, Sir.  Either you want him or ya don’t.  You don’t have to rush off and propose to him or anything but I need to know for my own piece of mind…and you know what a brat I can be when I don’t get my way.”

 

Rufus closed his eyes and hissed as Reno pressed his thigh against the bulge in his trousers.  “Oh, you really are a fucking brat,” he moaned.

 

Reno murmured a silken laugh against his ear and nibbled the lobe.  “I’ll be good if ya just tell me, baby.”

 

He’d been completely taken off guard by Reno’s unannounced arrival and sexy appearance and now Rufus was unusually flustered.  He imagined that this must be what wild animals felt when they were in rut.  He tried to put his arms around his lover but Reno pulled away again and shook his head.

 

“Oh bloody hell, Reno!” Rufus growled, “Yes, all right?  Your fluffy-headed golden boy is important to me!”

 

“Why’d you change your attitude toward him then?” Reno persisted coolly, studying the president with heavy-lidded eyes.

 

Rufus threw his hands up in frustration.  “Because, we have a conflict of interests!  He and I don’t mesh, Reno.”

 

“Who said that had to stop ya?” Reno asked softly, his hands once again working at Rufus’s clothes.

 

“I don’t know,” the president snarled in confusion and frustration.  “I can’t exactly have him, can I?”

 

“Sure ya can,” Reno snorted.  “Is it that hard to take a lover that ain’t under your authority?”

 

“I…I don’t know,” Rufus sighed in defeat, shaking his head. 

 

Reno took pity on him and cupped the back of his head to give him a slow, passionate kiss.  The blonde was breathing heavily with a mixture of lust and emotions that he couldn’t quite hide from the Turk when the kiss ended. 

 

Reno looked him in the eyes and smiled.  “I won’t bother you about it anymore, Sir.  If admitting it is the best you can do right now, that’s fine.  Just so you’ve got something to think about, next time ya see him.”

 

“Are you going to cooperate now?” Rufus inquired, his tone still frustrated.

 

“I’m all yours, baby,” Reno purred.

 

Rufus put one hand flat over the bared portion of his chest and pushed him against the edge of the desk.  With his other hand, he swept everything off the surface of the desk—including his laptop. 

 

“Yo boss, I think ya broke it,” Reno gasped when the computer crashed to the floor. 

 

“I’ll purchase another one,” the president said huskily as he kissed Reno hard.  “Hop onto the desk.”

 

Reno obeyed and a breathless laugh escaped his lips as Rufus shoved him down onto his back and worshiped his neck and chest with his lips.  His hat fell off onto the floor but neither of them paid any attention.  Just like Cloud, the president was so turned on by the outfit Reno wore that he could barely seem to contain himself.  Neither Cloud nor Rufus were likely to ever admit it, but despite their many differences they shared many similarities as well…mainly when it came to Reno and their desire for him.  

 

As the redheaded Turk was attacked by his boss, he was content with the knowledge that sooner or later his two blonde bombshells would hook up again and the next time they might not be able to deny how they felt about one another.

 

~************************************~

* * *

 

-The End


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